The ‘Jala Peo’ Initiative – A Capacity Development, Monitoring and Mentorship Project for the Panhandle of the Okavango Delta World Heritage Site Community Based Organizations. 

Purpose of the Project:

To equip Community Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) focused community based organizations (CBOs) operating within the Panhandle of the Okavango Delta World Heritage Site with the necessary skills to become sustainable, accountable and responsible entities.

Summary of the Project:

The Ngamiland Council of Non-Governmental Organizations (NCONGO) implemented a 1-year program in partnership with ToCaDi to strengthen the capacity of CBNMR-focused NGOS/CBOs operating within the Panhandle of the Okavango Delta World Heritage Site to effectively address the challenges they face in executing their mandates on provision of services related to conservation and livelihoods in their communities. The project was called The ‘Jala Peo’ Initiative. ‘Jala Peo’ is a Setswana expression meaning ‘Plant a Seed’.
This was an endeavor to contribute to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, The Botswana Vision 2036, the 11th National Development Plan and to assist Botswana to meet its obligations under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance as well as the UNESCO World Heritage Convention.
The ‘Jala Peo’ Initiative is a response to the growing national consensus that an effective civil society is essential to achieving the Government of Botswana‘s national CBNRM strategy and the community involvement and implementation of the Okavango Delta Management Plan (ODMP). The project’s goal is to strengthen the technical competence and organizational capacity of all GEF/SGO-funded NGOs/CBOs responsible for the implementation of the ODMP, to expand and improve the delivery of high quality Conservation and Livelihood services. The Initiative will focus on the Panhandle NGOs/CBOs with environmental and livelihood mandate; directly supported by Government and other partners in environment.
The ‘Jala Peo’ Initiative was implemented in Ngamiland (Ngami and Okavango Sub District). It focused on achieving the following two main results:

1. District level capacity building of 20 CBOs/NGOs by strengthening the technical quality of their interventions, ensuring strong enterprise systems and enhancing their ability to work together in the environment and livelihood programs.
2.  Sustained Organizational Development of NGOs/CBOs, by building on the current mandates and capacities as

The Project is financed by the Global Environmental Facility/Small Grants Programme (“GEF/SGP”), implemented by UNDP on behalf of the three GEF Implementing Agencies – UNDP, UNEP, and the World Bank – and executed by UNOPS.