Since December 1st, 2007, Ms Nthabiseng Majara has commenced her position as the SGP’s National Coordinator and is working with UNDP Lesotho to effectively implement the SGP in Lesotho.

SGP is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) as a corporate programme; and it is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on behalf of the implementing and executing agencies of the GEF, and executed by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).

Launched in 1992, SGP directly channels grants of up to US$50,000 directly to Community Based Organizations (CBOs) and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to support environmental protection activities in developing countries. The focus of the funded projects is on climate change abatement, conservation of biodiversity, protection of international waters, reduction of the impact of persistent organic pollutants and prevention of land degradation altogether while generating sustainable livelihoods.

Presently, Lesotho is one of 101 countries participating in SGP. Worldwide, more than 8,000 grants have been awarded to date, with many benefiting multiple communities.

The sky has no limit when it comes to project ideas; for example, to combat climate change and land degradation a cooperative in Botswana has been awarded a grant to demonstrate the use of solar energy/technology in the extraction of under ground water for a women's group horticultural project; To address biodiversity in Uganda a joint Forest Department and Community Conservation project was awarded a grant to promote collaborative management systems that conserve biodiversity, strengthen local institutions, empower women, support small businesses and address social and environmental needs.

Now that SGP has been approved for Lesotho, the UNDP Country Office is thrilled at the possibilities-which are endless, especially in a country like Lesotho where the need to address environmental issues related to climate change, land degradation, biodiversity conservation and water resources management are imperative.

Participation in the SGP is especially exciting because it allows the local community to take responsibility and be involved in the future of its own environment. The community can come together and build and develop community-level strategies to reduce threats to their environment. As well it will allow the local community to build partnerships and networks of stakeholders will be formed to support and strengthen community, NGO, and national capacities, thus addressing global environmental programmes successfully. Also by catalyzing the communities themselves to get involved, the SGP hopes to ensure conservation and sustainable development strategies and projects that protect the global environment, with the hope being that these projects are understood and implemented by communities and other key stakeholders; thus making conservation a sustainable issue in Lesotho.

For more information please visit http://sgp.undp.org/