FRONT ROW L-R Emily Rahming (President of SAHMA),Vincala Lloyd, Claudine Green (BNT Rep.),Barbara J. Moore, Jackie Hewitt, Velma Green, Grace Neely-Sweeting, Vakderine Lewis, Sgt. Carson Lundy, Leanora Robinson, Manuel Messina (IICA Rep.),Rochelle King-Trabulsy, Insp. David Thompson and Angela Rolle (VP South Andros High School).

BACK ROW L-R Ena Miller, Monique Flowers, Donnalee Bowe (BAIC),Theophilus Rolle (VP-SACOC), Nyoka Dames, Tyrone Burrows, Malary Green, Theophilus Flowers, Joel Rahming, Joseph Johnson, Lerissa Rahming, Jeffery Johnson, Kendal Taylor, Edmund Rahming (President –SACOC),Sharon Andrews, Shacara Lightbourne (IICA).

 

(Andros, Bahamas) – The Awareness and Capacity Building and Information Exchange workshop held January 7th and 8th in South Andros was coordinated by the South Andros Chamber of Commerce in collaboration and with the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grant Programme (SGP) who provided the grant, The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), Bahamas National Trust (BNT) and The Bahamas Chamber of Commerce.  The workshop focused on sharpening fundamental skills used in preparing grant applications through the project concept process to the project proposal.  In addition, participants were informed about grants available from the GEF Small Grants Programme and how funding can be accessed.  The facilitator for the workshop, National Coordinator for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) activity in The Bahamas Mr. Deon Stewart is pleased with the two-day event and the exchange of ideas and information.

“Further, we were pleased to have the participants take part in working groups through which they were able to develop six basic project concepts along the GEF SGP Project Concept characteristics.  In the near future we look forward to developing each idea further with the community groups and implementing new GEF Small Grants Programme projects in the community of South Andros that will aid to their sustainable livelihoods,” explained Mr. Stewart.

The GEF Small Grants Programme is implemented worldwide by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and provides grants to Civil Society Organisation and Communities for up to $50,000.00 to undertake environmental project in their local communities.

Forty-five jubilant and expectant participants from various cross-sections of Mangrove Cay and the main land of South Andros attended as well as a significant number of other invited guests and dignitaries . Keynote speaker His Excellency, Mr. Picewell Forbes, Member of Parliament for the South Andros and Mangrove Cay Constituency and High Commissioner to CARICOM States explained the importance of capacity building and information exchange here in The Bahamas.

“Andros is a unique place, my birth place…..I commend those who remain and have come back home and this motivates me to work harder to facilitate and do whatever it takes to make South Andros a better place,” said Mr. Forbes.

Mr. Forbes also commended and thanked the facilitator, coordinators and participants of the workshop. He encouraged participants and South Androsians to work collaboratively in developing different environmental and craft related businesses and find a way of building a better South Andros. He also emphasized the importance of accountability.

 Workshop facilitators provided training and refreshers in grant writing and the application process. Attendees left the seminar well informed and facilitators expressed interest in hosting more events in the future.

The South Andros Chamber of Commerce is grateful, especially to GEF and all stakeholders and friends of the environment for their invaluable support.