Kivu established and implemented an 18-month partnership between the Institute for Policy Analysis and Research in Rwanda (IPAR-Rwanda) and the UK think tank, the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR). The programme provided capacity building support on policy influencing in a tightly controlled political context. The support provided included mentoring-based advice to develop politically informed and policy-relevant research projects which respond to policy makers’ demands. It also included advice on advocacy, including effective private communication and appropriate public advocacy. Kivu used a ‘learning through doing’ approach to local capacity building, providing support through ongoing IPAR projects. These included issues such as basic education funding, micro-enterprises and jobs creation, tax incentives and FDI, and civic participation and governance.