What We Do
SARLN and its members operate across 12 interconnected programme pillars—ranging from legal protection and mental health to social enterprises and grassroots movement building. Each intervention is shaped by lived experience and designed to respond directly to the realities of the communities we serve, ensuring that solutions are both relevant and community-driven.
Our 12 Pillars
Programme Areas
Click on any programme card to expand and view specific activities and interventions.
#01
Community-Based Protection & Legal Support
Training and deploying community paralegals to bridge the gap between displaced persons and the legal systems that govern their safety and rights.
View Activities (3)
- Training and deployment of community paralegals to support documentation, asylum processes, and legal referrals.
- Establishment of referral pathways for GBV, child protection, and detention cases.
- Legal awareness campaigns on rights and access to services.
#02
Advocacy & Policy Engagement
Bringing the voices of those with lived experience to the tables where decisions are made — from Pretoria to Geneva.
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- Participation in national and global policy dialogues.
- Development of position papers and policy submissions grounded in lived experience.
- Representation in coordination platforms and stakeholder consultations.
#03
Capacity Strengthening of Member Organisations
Building the institutional foundations that enable refugee-led organisations to operate effectively, sustainably, and with credibility.
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- Training in governance, financial management, safeguarding, and compliance.
- Mentorship for emerging refugee-led organisations (RLOs).
- Support for organisational registration and institutional development.
#04
Livelihoods & Economic Inclusion
Creating pathways to economic independence through climate-resilient skills, entrepreneurship support, and market access for refugee-owned enterprises.
View Activities (4)
- Skills development in climate-resilient livelihoods and entrepreneurship.
- Support to refugee-owned businesses (market access, micro-grants, training).
- Financial literacy and income-generation initiatives.
- Regenerative farming and climate-adaptive agricultural practices
#05
Mental Health & Psychosocial Support (MHPSS)
Recognising that healing is inseparable from resilience, our MHPSS work creates safe spaces for refugee leaders and vulnerable communities to process, restore, and grow.
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- Peer support groups and safe spaces for refugee leaders and vulnerable groups.
- Community dialogues addressing trauma and resilience.
- Referral to specialised mental health services.
#06
Gender Equality & Women's Empowerment
Women are the backbone of refugee communities. We invest in their leadership, safety, and economic power as a cornerstone of collective resilience.
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- Women-led forums and leadership development initiatives.
- GBV prevention and response programmes.
- Economic empowerment targeting women and girls.
#07
Youth Engagement & Education
Young refugees are not merely beneficiaries — they are future leaders. We create platforms for their voices, skills, and civic engagement.
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- Youth leadership and civic engagement programmes.
- Education support, tutoring, and digital skills training.
- Creative platforms (arts, sports, storytelling) for inclusion.
#08
Research, Documentation & Evidence Building
Community-led evidence is the most powerful tool for advocacy. We generate data and document lived experiences to drive meaningful change.
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- Community-led research on protection gaps and lived experiences.
- Documentation of best practices and case studies.
- Data generation to inform advocacy and programming.
#09
Network Coordination & Partnership Building
A network is only as strong as its connections. We foster solidarity, resource-sharing, and strategic alliances across the humanitarian ecosystem.
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- Strengthening coordination among member organisations.
- Strategic engagement with government, UN agencies, NGOs, and donors.
- Facilitation of knowledge-sharing and joint initiatives.
#10
Communication & Narrative Change
Refugees are leaders, innovators, and contributors — not problems to be solved. We champion refugee-led storytelling to shift the global narrative.
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- Refugee-led storytelling and advocacy campaigns.
- Social media engagement and visibility strategies.
- Promoting positive narratives on refugee leadership and contribution.
#11
Grassroots Movement Building
Sustainable change starts at the community level. We mobilise communities to build collective voice, agency, and solidarity from the ground up.
View Activities (3)
- Mobilisation of refugee and host communities to build collective voice and agency.
- Establishment of community forums and local leadership structures.
- Strengthening solidarity networks to respond to protection risks.
- Supporting bottom-up initiatives that reflect community-defined needs and solutions.
#12
Sub-granting to Member Organisations
Shifting power towards grassroots actors by providing flexible, trust-based funding to organisations often excluded from traditional donor pipelines.
View Activities (4)
- Provision of small grants to grassroots refugee-led organisations.
- Flexible and trust-based funding models to enable local innovation and rapid response.
- Accompaniment support (financial management, reporting, safeguarding) to build long-term capacity.
- Ensuring equitable resource distribution and inclusion of underrepresented groups.
For Donors & Partners
Strategic Value
Investing in SARLN means investing in a model that operationalises localisation, strengthens last-mile delivery, and shifts power towards the communities closest to the challenges.
Equitable Funding Access
Enable equitable access to funding for grassroots actors excluded from traditional pipelines.