RM2.86mil disbursed via scheme
Published on: Tuesday, November 25, 2014
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PETALING JAYA: The Global Environment Facility-Small Grants Programme (GEF-SGP) Malaysia has disbursed RM2.86 million to 13 grantees for 2014.National Coordinator for the GEF SGP Malaysia, David Lee announced this at the launch of the National GEF-SGP Seminar on Building Partnerships and SGP Grants Award Ceremony held at the Crystal Crown Hotel, here, recently.He said the GEF-SGP Malaysia is designed to support and advocate community participation in environmental protection initiatives.
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"My role is to facilitate and ensure that the grants from the Global Environment Facility is disbursed and given out to local civil society organisations (CSOs) or community-based organisations (CBOs) in line with the mandate and directive from the GEF Council," he said.The 13 new grantees from the Peninsula, Sabah and Sarawak comprised Sabah Women Entrepreneurs & Professionals Association (Swepa), Persatuan Wanita Desa Sarawak, Centre for Environment, Technology and Development Malaysia, Malaysian Nature Society, The Electrical and Electronics Association of Malaysia, Tracc Borneo, Persatuan Menjaga Alam Sekitar Negeri Perak, Pertubuhan Alam Sekitar Ecoknights, Maliangin Island Community Association (Mica), Banggi, Kudat, Banggi Youth Club (BYC), Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia, World Wide Fund for Nature Malaysia, and Marine Research Foundation (MRF).Lee said SGP provides grants up to USD50,000 per project and many entities from government agencies, academic and corporate bodies had provided support at project level either in-cash or in-kind."However, we would like to initiate a higher level of collaboration, and welcome new partnerships between SGP and partner organisations at programme level.
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"In particular, we welcome the corporate sector looking for a sustainable corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative that impacts the communities around them," he said.At the same time, Lee welcomed media houses to be SGP partners "to showcase the successful SGP projects and how these affect the communities, to the people of Malaysia."
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In his overview of GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP), he said it is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and executed by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).The GEF-SGP was established globally in 1992 following the Rio Earth Summit in Brazil, South America, and began its operations in Malaysia in 1999.On SGP projects in the country in Operational Phase 5 (2011-2014), the National Coordinator said the breakdown is as follows – 18 in the Peninsula, 17 in Sabah and seven in Sarawak.GEF SGP covers six focal areas which are Biological Diversity, Climate Change, International Waters, Land Degradation, Persistent Organic Pollutants and Climate Change Adaptation.The funding entity provides two types of grants, namely a Planning Grant where USD2,000 is given to assist applicants to undertake consultation and research work to develop a full project proposal, and a full grant of up to USD50,000 is given to approved proposals.According to Lee, SGP has funded close to 100 projects and engaged over 80 civil society organisations (CSOs) since its inception in Malaysia in July 1999."SGP is an environmental themed programme which has successfully incorporated socio-economic elements in its activities, particularly for the benefit of rural and isolated communities in Sabah and Sarawak," he said.Opening the seminar, Deputy Secretary-General of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE), Datuk Dr Abdul Rahim Nik said it marked a significant milestone for GEF SGP Malaysia country programme because this was the first time the programme has reached out to partners or potential partners."We welcome partners to come on board and join our mission. We appreciate those contributions made by all SGP partners (be it corporate sector, universities, media, district office, government departments, etc) at project level."Without your z support, the SGP grantees would not have completed their projects. We therefore acknowledge your support directly and indirectly to SGP Malaysia," he said.Dr Abdul Rahim said the SGP is designed to complement the Government policy initiatives in addressing environmental imperatives through community participation."As such, SGP Malaysia is playing a crucial role, particularly in enhancing the capacities of participating CSOs to lead and be responsive towards the Government policy interventions and actions taken at the local level," he explained.Since the start of SGP Malaysia in 1999, the MNRE, in its capacity as the GEF National Focal Point, has always been associated with this grant implementation.The Ministry chaired the National Steering Committee which comprises government agencies, NGOs, academia and private sector representatives in the evaluation and approval of SGP grants to CSOs.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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