My Nonprofit Reviews

The OES Closing Ceremony:
A Final Chapter and a New Beginning !

The closing ceremony of the OES small grants program took place on zoom on the 2nd of June, 2021. It was an opportunity for the CSO sub-grantees and the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs representatives to get together to share the results achieved during the 2 year program duration.

The program, which is funded by the High Atlas Foundation in partnership with OES, seeks to increase civil society engagement in environmental protection and to promote public participation in environmental decision-making. It enabled four 4 selected CSOs in Jordan and Morocco to launch their projects in order to benefit local communities socially, economically and environmentally. All of the associations, including MIRRA, Dar Si Hmad, AFCD and Al-Fath association were able to present the objectives, results and impact of their projects.

Taking the example of Al-Fath for culture and development, the association, which is a Moroccan CSO operating in Bouchane and Ait Taleb villages in Rhamna Province north of Marrakech, was able to implement a project entitled The Environmental Challenge thanks to OES funding in order to contribute to the alleviation of pollution in the region and establish a culture of environmental preservation. According to Mr. Aichane, 70 % of the objectives were met, however, 30% were difficult to be achieved due to some problems in relation to the sanitary crisis that impeded the process of the project. Generally, among the goals met we find:
● the implementation of a nursery and 2 greenhouses
● provision of 12 agricultural farms with natural organic fertilizers
● the planting of 113760 fruit trees,
● the provision of 3 wells with solar pumps

Similarly in Jordan, MIRRA association was able to implement a project entitled “Realizing Sustainable Agriculture in Azraq” in order to overcome the problem of water pumping overuse while stimulating agricultural activities as well as economic and social growth in the area. The project implementation according to Ms Ahlam Al Shufarat, representative of MIRRA, ensured:
● The achievement of sustainable, decentralized farm models in the area,
● the reduction of the electricity bills for farmers
● the increase of the annual food production to meet local needs without depending on imports.
● Building capacity for farmers and students through the implementation of trainings and workshops
● the writing of two booklets which gathered the knowledge on the application of sustainable rural agriculture in Azraq

The impact of the projects both in Morocco and Jordan have had a remarkable positive effect on the local communities. Mr. Yossef Ben-Meir mentioned that the bureau’s support in implementing these projects has built a firm basis for the organization’s growth while creating partnerships between different CSOs. It is in fact a meeting that marks both the closing ceremony and the beginning of sustainable commitment to carry on this initiative and to move it forward in order to achieve the visions of different communities on a national and an international level.