“In support of NGO actions to preserve endangered species and protected areas, SGP is playing a great role in addressing biodiversity on the political and environmental agenda.”
Eng. Essam Nada
SGP National Host Institution (NHI), Egypt
Executive Director of Arab Office for Youth and Environment (AOYE)
The EU-NGOs project "Strengethening Environmental Governance by Bulding the Capacity of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO)" is a global project funded by the European Union (EU), implemented by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and delivered and co-financed by the Global Environment Facilty (GEF) Small Grants Programme (SGP). This publication:
1. Outlines the conceptual basis of the EU-NGOs Project and its community-led approach to strengthening environmental governance by increasing civil society participation in related processes;2. Presents a selection of eight EU-NGOs country case studies (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Georgia, Moldova, Morocco, Palestine and Ukraine) setting the local context based on which supported initiatives were developed, describing project activities and objectives, as well as reporting on key achievements, impacts and lessons learned from these on-the-ground initiatives; and3. Highlights some key overall impacts and lessons learned from on-the-ground implementation of community-led projects related to environmental governance in EU-neighboring countries.
The EU-NGOs project has produced considerable results with positive effects beyond the supported NGOs, as a large number of CSOs and NGOs have been reached through such tools as a training-of-trainers approach, partnerships, and dedicated networks. The case studies provided in this report aim to share valuable insights to such approaches that can be used as a basis for replication in similar initiatives around the world.
This publication highlights the work of the GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP) in the international waters focal area that not only generates global environmental benefi ts through community-based management approach to international waters issues, while assisting communities to increase theirresilience and adapt to climate change.
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Examples of Successful Projects
8 Wetlands projects in Kafr El shekih governorate
Goal: conservation of biodiversity in lake Burullus through the community awareness of legal fishing process. Main Activities: supporting the fishermen organization, safeguarding fish offspring, creation of new job opportunities Key Results: In each project approx.2000 fishermen have benefited from the activities, nearly 900 fishermen (direct beneficiaries) have bought the new legal fishing nets, indirect beneficiaries around 3600 people, the fishermen's income has been increased by 50 %, when replacing the old nets by the new legal ones, nearly 15 new job opportunities were created to the fishermen wives and daughters, after being trained on the recycling of old fishing nets.
Energy saving bulbs, Activate and Consolidate the Participation in the Reduction of Energy Use Implemented by Qena Environmental Union Federation
Goal: Decreasing GHG emissions through promoting the use of energy-saving bulbs, and raising the awareness of the local communities in the poor villages of Qena governorate. Main Activities: Installation of 40,000 energy-saving bulb, organizing 30 environmental awareness raising workshops, holding 4 training programs for young people, producing public awareness materials, establishing a network of 14 NGOs in 6 villages in Qena. Key Results: Installing 40000 energy-saving bulbs, which led to reducing CO2 emissions by 4260 Tons/Year, 4000 families have benefited from project activities, 20 new job opportunities were created for young men on the installation and maintenance of energy saving bulbs.
Treated Waste Water projects
Goal : To establish a treatment unit for municipal and grey water in the village and to provide a simple model of economic and safe disposal of waste water
Project activities:
Establish waste water treatment unit and connecting the village houses to it.
Organized 6 community consultation meetings to discuss the mobilization of resources for establishing waste water treatment unit.
Held farmers' awareness campaign to conserve irrigation water.
Conduct awareness campaign for housewives for safe disposal of domestic waste
Key results:
The construction of a waste water treatment system for both municipal and grey water in which has been connected to 500 houses in the village.
Raising the awareness of around 2500 community members on risks and hazards of improper waste water disposal methods and sensitizing women to proper water management.
Capacity building has been provided to 10 young men, by providing them with the training on the maintenance of waste water treatment units.
One of the most significant out comes of the project is the effective partnerships with private sector which provided additional financial resources = USD. 75,000 in cash and the entire community, who has agreed to pay a monthly fee of 3 LE monthly from each participating family that will be placed in an account that will be used to cover the costs of maintenance.
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Country Impact
Wetlands Projects:
National Impact: Direct impact on preserving the natural resources in this protected area.
Local Level Impact: Improve the livelihood of the fishermen, and the activation of the role played by the Cooperative Societies of Fishermen in the governorate, to provide needed support and awareness to fishermen.
Energy saving bulbs:
National Impact: Due to the role played by CSOs in promoting energy saving bulbs, Ministry of Electricity has issued a decision to provide those bulbs on a wider geographical area and in reasonable prices.
Local Level Imapct: Replication of energy efficiency projects implemented by NGOs in different villages due to the people's awareness of their environmental problems.
Establish a Wastewater Treatment Unit:
National Impact: Governorates have included more villages in its national plan to connect poor villages to sanitation networks.
Local Level Impact: Other NGOs in nearby villages have submitted project proposals to replicate this successful experience, encouraged by the local community who is willing to participate and co-finance in such project to get the same service
