Photo & text by Gloria Ganang
It was a great honor for me and my colleague Risnayati to be part of the workshop & seminar organized by GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP)Malaysia held at the Crystal Crown Hotel, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. The National GEF-SGP Grantees Workshop was held on the 20th November 2014 where approximately 30 projects funded by GEF-SGP gathered and shared about their projects, the challenges they face and how the GEF SGP has helped projects to happen through provision of funding.
BSBCC received funding from GEF SGP in 2013. This has helped us in developing our Centre as an education Centre for sun bears and their habitat. With SGP funding, signboards were able to be installed along our trails and observation platform to provide information to visitors about the least known bear. The grant also gave us the opportunity to go out to the local schools and promote awareness and education to the younger generations about sun bears.
The day started with the grantees setting up their booths in the activity hall. Photo: Risnayati standing beside BSBCC booth
Hyrul from Friends of North Selangor Peat Swamp Forest Association putting up their display materials
Setting up booth: Persatuan Kebajikan Nelayan-Nelayan Pantai Pulau Pinang
Handmade crafts displayed by Community-Led Environmental Awareness For Our River
Home made compost samples prepared by Consumers’ Association of Penang
BC Initiative booth visited by other grantee members
Every session of the workshop started with an ice breaking activity to encourage grantees from different projects to know each other and each other’s project. Everyone gets into groups that comprises of different people from different projects.
David Lee, GEF SGP National Coordinator was the host during the workshop.
Group discussion about challenges faced by grantees
Group presentation and sharing of opinions
I would say that the workshop was very informative, interactive and productive. It definitely achieved its objectives of intra-networking establishment among grantees and creating opportunities for collaboration between projects from all over Malaysia. I am totally impressed with the diversity of projects that GEF SGP Malaysia is funding.
I’m sure we all benefited each other by participating in the workshop. We’ve got everyone’s name card by the way to keep in touch! Well done David Lee and Lai Sook Mei for organizing the workshop! It was really a successful one!
The workshop ended with..what else? Group photo!
THE NEXT DAY…
Here comes the slightly more formal event, the Seminar!
Once again, the grantees set up their booth in the hall first thing in the morning followed by a mingling session before the seminar started. The guess of honor was Datuk Dr. Abdul Rahim Nik, Deputy Secretary General, Ministry of Natural Resources & Environment.
Datuk Dr. Abdul Rahim Nik during his opening remarks at the seminar
This was followed by presentation of mock cheque to new grantees. Photo: Mock cheque presentation to Pertubuhan Alam Sekitar Ecoknights
Mock cheque presentation to Sabah Women Entrepreneurs & Professionals Association
The line of new GEF SGP grantees
The seminar continued with sharing of testimonies from SGP grantees.
A representative from TONIBUNG shared about the tremendous works they do to supply power in remote villages of Sabah through microhydro. Thanks to GEF SGP for providing the funds and making this all possible!
A representative from Consumers’ Association of Penang sharing on healthy methods & practices of organic farming
It was my turn finally to share about BSBCC’s achievement so far through partnerships and helps from many individuals & organizations
Q & A session with the presenters
After the breathtaking session learning about the inspiring works of different projects in Malaysia, the finale of the seminar was a panel discussion on opportunities for partnership.
The panelists during the seminar
Once again we would like to thank GEF SGP for your support towards BSBCC and for hosting these meaningful and worthwhile events. Congratulations David & Sook Mei for making this a success!
Find out more about GEF Small Grants Programme at www.sgpmalaysia.org
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