Future imaginations are a guiding beacon for individuals and nations alike. Articulating a vivid image of abstract hopes and dreams can be used to reverse engineer tangible steps for development. In a conflict-affected context like Sudan, which has wrestled with numerous political tectonic shifts and historical social grievances, formulating a clear picture of a shared future is a key step in efforts hoping to build back better. The lines between future imaginations and scenario anticipation are often blurred, limiting an individual’s capacity to dream big. Moreover, the impact of the current context is a large constraint on the depth of individuals’ current imagination of future Sudan. Battling displacement, unemployment, and repressive state treatment under emergency laws, citizens have a very limited toolbox for intervening and impacting Sudan’s future.

Imaginations at the height of the revolution or transitional period were vivid, when everyday citizens could participate and impact those in power and disrupt power structures through protests, civil disobedience, and other forms of non-violent resistance; today, they are left without any of these tools. The study sought to capture this diversity of opinions and imaginations to sow together a vision of a shared, improved, and futuristic Sudan to contribute to countering polarization, community building, and contributing towards ending the conflict.

Through funding from PACT, Andariya undertook the Imagined Futures Mapping study to understand and share the ambitions, hopes, and visions of a future Sudan through the eyes of everyday citizens.

Download the full report here.