KINGSTON, Jamaica — Seven local non-government and community-based organisations will be officially awarded grants from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) implemented Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF SGP) on Tuesday, January 28 to tackle deforestation, watershed degradation, energy inefficiency and drought in Jamaica, focusing on the most vulnerable.

UNDP  said the local organisations will implement their projects island-wide, and also specifically in the communities of Albion Heights, Dolphin Head Forest Reserve and the world heritage site, Northern Rio Minho, targeting children and youth, farmers and people living with disabilities.

Letters of awards and contracts will be handed to the groups at a presentation ceremony to be addressed by UNDP Resident Representative Denise E Antonio, and Chief Technical Director (Acting), Policy, Planning and Evaluation Division in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation and Global Environment Facility Operational Focal Point for Jamaica, Gillian Guthrie starting at 9:00 am.

According to UNDP, the seven emerged as top picks from a pool of 18 submissions following GEF SGP’s biannual national call for proposals and a rigorous and transparent project appraisal process.

Details on the groups, project goals and their individual and combined grants, collectively amounting to millions of Jamaican dollars will be unveiled at the presentation ceremony, UNDP added.

UNDP Resident Representative, Denise E Antonio, said local organisations working on the ground and being able to directly connect with people are best poised to address sustainable development challenges of marginalized communities, especially those vulnerable to climate change and natural hazards.

“They see the issues every day, know the heart of their communities, and have a vested interest in finding viable solutions,” she noted.

GEF SGP National Coordinator Hyacinth Douglas added that the financial and technical support provided to the selected organisations is designed to conserve and restore the environment while enhancing people’s well being and livelihoods.

She said that consistent with GEF SGP’s global slogan, ‘Thinking Globally and Acting Locally’, the programme aims to demonstrate that community action can maintain the fine balance between human needs and environmental imperatives.