US $50k available for Environmental community groups
By Ryan Haas
Reporter-SKNVibes.com
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Stephen Duggins, National Focal Person, (left) and Giles Romulus, GEF SGP Sub-Regional Coordinator
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BASSETERRE, St. Kitts- NON-GOVERNMENTAL Organizations (NGOs) and individuals with innovative ideas about environmental issues now have the opportunity to receive up to US$50,000 from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
During a press conference held yesterday March 11th, UNDP Sub-Regional Coordinator Giles Romulus said the United Nations is making funding available to local organizations through the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Program (GEF SGP).
“In a nutshell, the SGP addresses global environmental problems at the community level. There are three fundamental objectives of the project; environmental sustainability, poverty alleviation and capacity building--or as I call it - teaching people how to fish.”
By circumventing large corporations and government organizations, the SGP aims to put money directly into the hands of NGOs that can have direct effect upon the ecology and economy of a country. As an example of how the program works Romulus cited a SGP funded group in Antigua that employed local people to crush and bail recyclable plastics and aluminum cans that are then shipped to U.S. processing plants for a profit.
Though the program has been around for some time, it only recently became decentralized from Barbados, so countries such as St. Kitts & Nevis can begin to approve their own projects as they apply to their unique environmental issues.
Romulus emphasized that groups should not just view the SGP as a business opportunity, but rather as a chance to improve their local ecology and learn more about Caribbean conservation as a whole. “We tell people to think of a problem and its causes first, and then think of a business strategy. The projects must be results-based to receive approval.” ~~Adz:Right~~
To receive such approval, NGOs in the Federation must have their projects approved by the National Focal Group in either St. Kitts or Nevis. Each National Focal Group is composed of various individuals in the community, including general public, corporate, and government representatives who then ensure that only projects best suited for community and environmental enhancement are approved.
“For the next four years St. Kitts & Nevis will be focusing on problems that face the marine and coastal environment, sustainable land management, such as organic agriculture and agro-tourism, and renewable energy resources,” said Stephen Duggins, National Focal Person.
Duggins encouraged the public to be creative in their thinking and to actively seek out the help of the UNDP and their National Focal Group in the development of their projects.
The GEF SGP has approved over 600 projects in 150 countries around the world, including poverty stricken nations in Africa, the Middle East and Asia, and hopes their presence in St. Kitts and Nevis will prove equally as fruitful.
