The Sustainable Model Program (SMP) project, supported by DANIDA in partnership with Danish Refugee Council (DRC), supports five organizations from different parts of the country, focusing on strengthening areas on Finance, MEAL, Governance and Resource Mobilization. Through  targeted support the project isempowering  communication focal persons to improve both internal and external communication capacities. For MID-P this support has translated into  improvements in visibility and stakeholder engagement.

Before the start of the SMP project, MID-P did not have a dedicated Communication Officer. This responsibility fell on the already overwhelmed Program Manager, limiting visibility and outreach efforts. In May, 2023, after recognizing this gap, MID-P brought onboard an intern to support the Program Manager in communication activities, after a year, in 2024, MID-P received support to onboard a Communication Officer, where they adopted their intern who was already familiar with the organization to take over implementation of communication activities like photo documentation, writing stories, content creation, development of Communication Plan and managing of MID-P social media platforms. “We had not identified Communication as a gap during the beginning of the SMP Project. We are grateful for the support of DRC for making Communication the fourth area.” Molu Tepo Executive Director

The SMP project has created a collaborative learning environment among the five partners by following, sharing, and interacting on each other’s social media platforms. The partners have fostered a supportive system that strengthens mutual visibility.

“The partnership under SMP project has been instrumental for MID-P. Every interaction with the partners is a learning experience, especially during the quarterly Review and Learning meetings. I particularly appreciate the support received from the DRC advocacy and communication coordinator, who always goes the extra mile to guide and mentor us.” Said Milki Abdullahi, MID-P Communication Officer.

DRC communication team provided practical tools, such as communication strategy, branding guidelines and a crisis communication plan with all the partners. With this support, MID-P has drafted its first-ever three-year communication strategy together with a crisis communication plan  currently under  review by Management and set to become a key operational tool that will help guide  communication and visibility activities for the organization .

As part of its Institutional Strengthening efforts, a key focus under MID-P’s current strategic plan (2025-2029), the SMP project played a role in enhancing the capacity of the Communication Officer through peer learning. Inspired by SMP partner HESED Africa, MID-P recognized the importance of platform diversification. This led to the creation of new organizational accounts on Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok, to target younger and more professional audiences.

The SMP project helped MID-P realize that communication should not only focus on project-based successes but also internal growth and achievements. DRC encouraged the SMP partners to document 20 success stories realized from the SMP project, which reflects the MID-P ’s journey and development. So far, six stories have been developed for MID-P, two are being developed and a clear plan for the development of the remaining 12 stories. These stories will be shared on social media and MID-P website to showcase the organization milestones and building its image.

“There were   colorful banners during the launching of Strategic plan, branded materials, and an energized crowd, making it not just a launch, but a celebration of MID-P’s growth. The SMP support truly elevated our visibility,” Sahara Ahmed, MID-P MEAL Officer

A clear highlight of the impact of the SMP project was seen during the Launching of MID-P 4^th Strategic Plan in May 2025. The project financially supported the breakfast meeting with stakeholders during the launch event, including the procurement of a new branded visibility materials (banners for SMP project, MID-P and CRFM) with the new MID-P logo. This support enhanced the event’s atmosphere and significantly raised the organization’s public image. The  event became MID-P’s most successful communication moment to date, generating the highest engagement across social media platforms and positioning MID-P more prominently in the development and humanitarian space especially within Isiolo County.

Fig 2: A screenshot of the social media engagement on Facebook and Tiktok during the Launching of Strategic Plan

Thanks to the SMP project, communication at MID-P has evolved from a secondary task to a strategic function. Through partnerships, mentorship and peer learning, MID-P is not only telling its story better, but is also becoming more visible, connected, and prepared for growth.