PR - As part of its 2018 workplan and in preparation for the 6th Operational Phase (OP6) core funds grant allocation call for proposals, the National Steering Committee (N.S.C.) and Technical Advisory Group (T.A.G.) of the G.E.F. Small Grants Programme held its first annual joint workshop and monitoring of projects in Savai’i last week.

The main objectives of the joint workshop are to align and update the progress of S.G.P. projects with the monitoring and evaluation framework and results framework; identify opportunities and strategies for innovative and high impact projects; review and develop technical guidelines for all focal areas of S.G.P. incorporating lessons learnt from operational phase projects. 

In her opening remarks, the U.N.D.P. Resident Representative Simona Marinescu emphasized S.G.P’s immense contribution to climate change resilience in Samoa and how communities can improve their livelihoods, food security and income generating opportunities from the successful implementation of the S.G.P grants. 

She also mentioned the importance of documenting the projects in a video to be presented at the inter-regional forum on the Samoa Pathway to be held in Apia this year in October. 

In her capacity as the Chair of the S.G.P. National Steering Committee, Anne Rasmussen acknowledged the technical support and substantial expertise of the S.G.P. partners such as Samoa Umbrella of Non-Government Organizations, Secretariat of Pacific Regional Environment Programme, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Samoa Chamber of Commerce, Small Business Enterprise Center, and Conservational International in the overall performance delivery of the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme in Samoa. 

The National Steering Committee and Technical Advisory Group visited all the G.E.F.-S.G.P. projects in Savaii which received funding from the Operational Phase 5 core funds grant allocation.

The feedback from the village communities in Savaii was extremely positive as they expressed appreciation and gratitude to the G.E.F.-S.G.P. for the grants they received to implement the projects that conserve and restore the environment while enhancing their well-being and livelihoods.   

Established in 1992, the G.E.F. Small Grants Programme (S.G.P.) embodies the very essence of sustainable development by “thinking globally, acting locally”. 

S.G.P. demonstrates that community action can maintain the fine balance between human needs and environmental imperatives, by providing financial and technical support to projects that conserve and restore the environment while enhancing people’s well-being and livelihoods.

The programme provides grants of up to 50,000 USD directly to local communities (including community-based organizations and other non-governmental groups) since these primary stakeholders are most at risk due to their strong de-pendency on access to natural resources for their livelihoods and often live in fragile ecosystems.