Project Detail

Organization of the GEF-SGP Lesotho Best Practice and Knowledge Fair

The Best practice and Knowledge fair aims to meet the capacity building requirements of the Programme. The objective of the Fair is to promote networking activities of the GEF-SGP grantees and other civil society organizations to meet the capacity building objective of the programme. This will be achieved by creating ways of networking, sharing and showcasing best practices, innovative technologies and lessons learned by civil society to promote replication and scaling up of results for greater policy influence and transformational change. This together with promoting sustainability and the mobilization of additional resources for community based sustainable development initiatives. The specific objectives are to:

a) Create a platform for exchange of knowledge and experiences between NGOs/CBOs, other civil society organizations working to address global environment issues and supporters for sustainable development to influence the national policy agenda.
b) Improve awareness and understanding about the GEF focal areas and the GEF SGP country programme, its strategy and results.
c) Promote and strengthen partnerships among all concerned stakeholders such as local communities, NGOs/CBOs/CSOs, government and local authorities, academic and research institutions, the private sector, international donors and development agencies for sustainability and mobilization of additional resources for community based sustainable development initiatives
d) Enhance visibility of the GEF-SGP in Lesotho and Publicity for the Best Practice and Knowledge Fair

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Project Snapshot

Grantee:

Phela Health and Development Communications

Country:

Lesotho

Area Of Work:

CapDev

Operational Phase:

OP5-Y3 (Jul 13 - Jun 14)

Grant Amount:

US$ 49,926.00

Co-Financing Cash:

Co-Financing in-Kind:

US$ 54,926.00

Project Number:

LSO/SGP/OP5/Y3/CORE/CD/2013/07

Start Date:

12/2013

End Date:

2/2013

Status:

Satisfactorily Completed

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Project Characteristics and Results

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Capacity - Building Component

The Best Practice and Knowledge Fair is a capaciaty building modality of the SGP the piurpose of which is to enable SGP grantees and other CSO stakeholders to network, share and showcase best practices, innovative technologies and lessons learned developed by the civil society to promote the replication and scaling up of results for greater policy influence and transformational change; as well as to promote sustainability and the mobilization of additional resources for community-based sustainable development initiatives. Another aspect of the event will be to initiate networks and partnerships amng participant/exhibitors.

Policy Impact

The Best Practice and Knowledge Fair is a platform fo rinitiation of dialogue between local communitites, practitioners, government institions, donors, experts and researchers. It is also meant to promote sustainability and the mobilization of additional resources for community-based sustainable development initiatives. It demonstrates the link between research and development.

Notable Community Participation

The Best Practice and Knowledge Fair is about networking, showcasing innovative technologies and sharing of experiences among environmental protection practitioners including SGP grantees. All SGP grantees and their beneficiary communities will be invited directly as key players while for other CSOs announcements will be made through local news papers and over the radio. The event will be open to all practitioners and participation will be free for all.

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment

The Best Practice and Knowlegde Fair is about networking, sharing and showcasing best practices and innovative technologies in climate change mitigation and adaptation and environmental protection in general.Over and abov ethe exhibitions, there will be public talks and lectures on different topics on environment nad sustainable development. There will also be radio programmes on the SGP, its areas of focus and achievements todate.

Gender Focus

The Best practice and knowledge fair targets all grantees irrespective of their targetted sectors of community or whether they are led by men or women. The event targets all secotes of the community: men, women and youth including the vulnerable and those with disability.

Replication of project activities

The UN has for 2014 and 2015 UN Day celebrations used the best practice and knowledge fair approach to showcase the UN interventions in Lesotho in partnership with various government institutions and civil society organizations and other development partners.

Policy Influence

The event provided a platform for partnerships for research and development. Some partnerships that were initiated at the event are being concluded now through MOUs for further investment in the exhibited works.

Project sustainability

The purpose of the Best Practice and Knowledge Fair is to enable SGP grantees and other CSO stakeholders to network, share and showcase best practices, innovative technologies and lessons learned developed by the civil society to promote the replication and scaling up of results for greater policy influence and transformational change; as well as to promote sustainability and the mobilization of additional resources for community-based sustainable development initiatives.

Inovative Financial Mechanisms

Through a Breakfast meeting for key private sector stakeholders and one-to-one meetings, additional resources and co-financing for the event will be mobilized, not only for the upcoming event but also for future events.

Project Results

- a breakfast meeting was organized as a reources mobilization strategy not only for the current activity but for future fairs and community environmental protection initiatives. The meeting brought together the private sector, government ministries, CSOs to deliberate on environmental challenges facing the country and the roles of different actors in addressing the challenges, interventions with focus on the GEF Small Grants Programme and the upcoming Best Practice and Knowledge Fair. Pledges to support future events have been made.
- 8 projects were selected as case studies and brochures documenting project achievments produced for sharing of project results
- Organization of the 2-days best practice and knowledge fair, the first to be held since programme establishment in Lesotho, which brought together SGP grantees and other civil society organizations, government institutions, research and academic institutions; small entrepreneurs, parastatal organizations, media. This created a platform for information, experience, innovation and technology exchange among participants. More than 500 people filed through the exhibitions.
- the Best Practice and knowledge Fair has been documented:video footage of the entire event and a detailed report with recommendations for future events and general tips for progrmme visibility in the country
- Awarding of certificates and trophies in recognition to those who have contributed towards the successful implementation of the programme in the country through advocacy and enhancement of access to the Programme

CHALLENGES AND LESSONS

- Submission of the final project reports remains a challenge due in part to organizational staff turnover.

- Timing of the event influenced the numbers of people who came to the event.

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