Toit: Maputo, mozambique July 31 st to August 2 nd 2012

 Projects at local level  Country level impact  GEF impact with CSO’s  Benefits of community participation  GEF Secretariat: Advice and way forward

 Possess specific skills, experience, and knowledge  Lobbying  Bring numerous stakeholders together - create linkages among communities, CSOs and governments  Encourage cooperation and improve understanding and dialogue between local and national levels  Enhance country ownership  Ensure that the needs of affected communities are adequately met  Improve project design, implementation and evaluation, and  Help to strengthen the capacities of civil society groups  Mobilises and leverages additional resources

 ‘Competition’ between NGOs for funding, knowledge kept secret rather than sharing resources (Gigabite Gardeners, Project Rhino KZN = effective pooling resources).  Fear – funders want to see results and success, of government or other powerful operators, also fear of losing culture to West, process vs projects, timelines  Cultural and language barriers – as a result of living in an ever shrinking world,  Multiple participants (stakeholders) may mean each hold different goals, values or interests (the scientist vs the induna)

 Can influence policy by demonstrating success at local level  CSO’s can build models & sell them to government, private sector and donor communities  Document interventions to develop best practice  Evaluation is difficult  Timing and communications issues, esp internet  Focal Points for local CSO’s  Build the network and submit 1 large proposal with location specific projects

 Better communication between local civil society groups - lead to increased awareness of other work done in the area and possible partnerships.  Conduct research on focal area strategies.  Public participation – inform public of pressing issues relating to focal area strategies to encourage interested and affected parties to get involved.  Use of cutting-edge technologies (and appropriate).  Engaging more with local communities and implementing grassroots development projects.  Not only focus on short-term change but sustainable long-term change.  Trust and commitment are very important – recognise and accept differences, negotiation and realisation that this can be an asset.

 Partnerships  Brings CSO’s together in programme oversight and decision making  Think Global and act Local  Small grants but together make a big impact  Platform  Fast & effective mechanism to access $  Capacity building and funding assistance development inherent in funding  Ability to mobilise resources

 Ownership  Accountability  Collective responsibility  Social harmony  Self reliance  Leadership development  Ethics and values

 CSO’s need to get involved at government planning level  Become a small part of a big programme  Get to know your regional focal point  Plan and network at a local level  GEF provides incremental costs  Use as a leverage methodology  Starting point is the strategy of GEF  GEF does not provide for building of capacity of CSO, its mandate is global impact  CSO’s must mobilise other donors to leverage