The three-day event, funded by GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP), attracted participants from across the country.
Speaking at the opening ceremony held at the Regional Education office in Basse, Kebba Sillah, director of WASDA, said the Best Practice Knowledge Fair was held to enable NGOs, CBOs and other stakeholders to network, share and showcase best practices, innovative technologies and lesson learnt in order to promote the replication and scaling-up of achievements gained from their respective GEF SGP projects.
“It also aimed at fostering greater transformational change at institutional level, as well as to promote the mobilization of additional resources for the sustainability of community-based development initiatives,” he said.
The Fair, held from 11 to 13 March 2014 in Basse, brought together NGOs and CBOs who benefited and successfully implemented various types of projects supported by the SGP.
Participants at the fair included government and state officials, academia and schools’ representatives, decision-makers, and members of the media.
Governor of URR, Omar Sompo Ceesay, thanked WASDA and partners for bringing such an important event to the region.
He stressed the need for concerted efforts in preserving the environment and urged the participants to take full advantage of the forum.
Speakers included Concern Universal country director Tony Jansen and GEF National Coordinator Kebba Bojang, who both expressed need for protection of the environment and reaffirmed their offices’ resolve in doing that.
