INTRODUCTION
Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and
Community Development Associations (CDAs) are active throughout Egypt.
In Sohag and Dakahleya Governorates, they are mostly involved in health,
education, literacy, water supply, sanitation, and also in credit, handicrafts
and income generation. Much of their work has concentrated on low income
and poorly served rural settlements.
Environmental awareness and capacity building
are among the top priority issues mentioned in the Sohag and Dakahleya
Governorate Environmental Action Plans (GEAPs). Based on a request from
NGOs in Sohag and Dakahleya, support was provided through SEAM to strengthen
their capabilities to develop environmental project proposals that would
be robust enough to attract financial support. Seventeen NGOs and CDAs
from Sohag and
Dakahleya attended training provided by SEAM.
ISSUES
Both NGOs and CDAs act on behalf of rural
and urban communities. They are therefore able to:
-
Develop and promote the local environmental concerns
of these communities towards governmental agencies, foreign donors and
other sources of financial support.
-
Encourage community action to address environmental
issues. The Governorate Environmental Action Plan shows that there are
many environmental issues that could be addressed through community-based
actions.
Discussions with NGOs and CDAs in both Governorates
indicated a lack of experience in developing successful proposals for the
variety of funding sources available for community based environmental
projects. It was also apparent that coordination between different NGOs,
CDAs and Government also needed strengthening.
Concerns and issues that arose and which were
addressed by the training workshop activities were:
-
Develop an understanding of community needs with
respect to different types of environmental actions.
-
Insufficient capability within NGOs/CDAs to initiate
environmental projects that address community needs.
-
Need to strengthen NGO/CDA capacity to prepare
and articulate sound proposals that can attract and meet the requirements
of available funding sources.
-
Lack of knowledge of donor’s criteria for funding
community-based environmental projects.
-
The need to address sustainability issues in
NGO and CDA activities.
-
The need to develop better co-operation and partnerships
between NGOs, CDAs and Government.
NEXT
BACK