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NGOs targeted as USAID launches ‘local capacity for local solutions’
Aimed at improving managerial and organisational capacity of Non-Governmental Organisation [NGOs] within 10 countries of the Eastern and Southern Caribbean, including Guyana, the United States Agency for International Development [USAID] yesterday launched ‘Local capacity for local solutions project’.
Officials and participants at the USAID launch yesterday.
The goal of this investment is to increase NGO efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability so that they may be better able to contribute to national development.
The Project is supporting NGOs engaged in the youth and citizen security sector [a priority area], HIV/AIDS, and the environment. Organizations that work on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, and intersex [LGBTI] issues, as well as gender, are also being targeted.
The launch of the event, by way of a workshop at the Quamina Street, Georgetown, Cara Lodge hotel, was graced by United States Ambassador to Guyana, Perry Holloway.
As he delivered remarks Holloway revealed, “This US Embassy-supported US$8 million initiative represents an on-going partnership with Guyana and the nine other countries in the Eastern and Southern Caribbean. It demonstrates our collective commitment to promote more resilience and prosperous communities, in which government and civil society can work hand in hand to develop sustainable solutions to the region’s most pressing problems and challenges.”
Holloway noted that since the late 1970s, NGOs and Civil Societies Organisations [CSO] had played an increasingly critical role in the development sector contributing primarily at the grassroots level and often working with those marginalised.
He noted that over the past five years the region has witnessed an expansion of NGOs in advocacy as well as service delivery at the community level.
According to the Ambassador, too, “Guyana itself is privileged to boast an active NGO presence that is growing daily, and I am happy to report that the US government has enjoyed mutual beneficial partnerships with many local NGOs including the Guyana Red Cross, Lifeline Counselling and the Volunteer Youth Corps just to name a few.”
Under the Embassy’s Health portfolio, the USAID Guyana’s civil society leadership project implemented, through the Volunteer Youth Corps, strengthened the National Coalition Incorporated – a network comprising 20 civil society organisations that support the National HIV/AIDS response.
Holloway noted that although government leads national development, it has been proven that the NGO sector is a necessary factor in contributing to a country’s economic and social progress.
“It is our belief, and that of our partners, that investing in building the capacity of NGOs to make them more efficient, effective and sustainable. We can better harness individual commitments to tackle the issues that threaten the stability and security of our partner country,” he added.
In this regard, the Ambassador said that the US government is proud to continue its history of partnership with the people of Guyana and those throughout the Region, and investing and strengthening the managerial, organisational and administrative capacity of NGOs.
“This will serve to improve outreach to the various beneficiaries that you all serve,” Holloway said to the representatives of organisations in attendance. He noted that through the programme, 130 NGOs participated in the marketing assessment to gauge the needs of the regional NGO sector and 75 organisations participated in focus groups which formed part of the assessment.
Further, he said, the programme will support NGOs to create, improve and implement policy systems and practices to boost performance and ultimately contribute to the achievement of national development.
“We recognise that forums such as this advocacy workshop will improve the engagement with policymakers as well as each other, particularly in terms of peer to peer exchanges and learning across the region,” said Holloway.
Also lauding the venture yesterday was Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection, Mr. Keith Scott. Scott noted, “Our government is happy to continue the long and fruitful relations which it continues to have with USAID.”
This relationship, he said “comes at a time when we shall be observing 51 years of an enduring bilateral development agreement which impacts regional programmes and activities through USAID.”
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