Enviro projects receive funding

POVERTY reduction is impossible unless efforts are made to use natural resources and the environment sustainably.

Swedish Chargé d’ Affaires to Namibia, Lena Johansson Blomstrand, made these remarks at a function to mark the approval of grants for the Namibia Nature Foundation (NNF)/Swedish Local Environment Fund. She said the wise use of natural resources had environmental and economic benefits.”As individuals, households or businesses, we know that the excessive use of resources and in particular natural resources including water, energy and soils will increase our costs,” said Blomstrand.Blomstrand presented certificates to representatives of 12 conservation and environment projects that received financial assistance from the Fund.Organisations that benefited were Namib Rand Nature Reserve, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Rise-Namibia, Integrated Rural Development and Nature Conservation (IRDNC), the Crane Working Group, Shadow Hunter Research Project, Ohandje Artists Co-operative, Wetlands Working Group, Joseph Mbambangandu Conservancy, University of Namibia and an independent zoologist.The projects include initiatives aimed at generating income for conservancies, and raising awareness on specific environmental issues while protecting natural resources.Blomstrand praised the projects, saying they were all unique, “yet they all recognise the fragile nature of Namibia’s natural resources and it’s heavy reliance on them and they all aim to promote development and improve the country’s natural resource base”.Established in 1999, the fund is funded by Swedish International Development Agency (Sida) and administered by the NNF.To date more than 150 small-scale projects have benefited from the fund, which awards grants of up to N$50 000.NNF provides the necessary technical support to benefit projects for a 12-month period, to ensure financial accountability and sustainability of these initiatives.Project Co-ordinator Kenneth /Uiseb said the fund has helped people to help themselves.NNF’s Finance Manager Isolda Hijamutiti called on Sida to continue financing the fund as projects required ongoing funding to reach their goals.She said the wise use of natural resources had environmental and economic benefits.”As individuals, households or businesses, we know that the excessive use of resources and in particular natural resources including water, energy and soils will increase our costs,” said Blomstrand.Blomstrand presented certificates to representatives of 12 conservation and environment projects that received financial assistance from the Fund.Organisations that benefited were Namib Rand Nature Reserve, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Rise-Namibia, Integrated Rural Development and Nature Conservation (IRDNC), the Crane Working Group, Shadow Hunter Research Project, Ohandje Artists Co-operative, Wetlands Working Group, Joseph Mbambangandu Conservancy, University of Namibia and an independent zoologist.The projects include initiatives aimed at generating income for conservancies, and raising awareness on specific environmental issues while protecting natural resources.Blomstrand praised the projects, saying they were all unique, “yet they all recognise the fragile nature of Namibia’s natural resources and it’s heavy reliance on them and they all aim to promote development and improve the country’s natural resource base”.Established in 1999, the fund is funded by Swedish International Development Agency (Sida) and administered by the NNF.To date more than 150 small-scale projects have benefited from the fund, which awards grants of up to N$50 000.NNF provides the necessary technical support to benefit projects for a 12-month period, to ensure financial accountability and sustainability of these initiatives.Project Co-ordinator Kenneth /Uiseb said the fund has helped people to help themselves.NNF’s Finance Manager Isolda Hijamutiti called on Sida to continue financing the fund as projects required ongoing funding to reach their goals.