Member Programmes » Southern and Eastern Africa

LEAD Southern and Eastern Africa 2006 Highlights

LEAD ASSOCIATE TRAINING

LEAD SEA graduated 13 Fellows in Cohort 11.  Cohort 12 has 8 full time Associates and 16 that only registered for the first training.  LEAD SEA participated in the India International session (February 2006) and Tunisia mid term session (November, 2006). 

SHORT COURSES

LEAD SEA conducted PED short courses in Cape Town (6 – 17 March, 2006), Bloemfontein (3 – 14 July, 2006) and Port Elizabeth (16 – 27 October, 2006).  The sessions were implemented with UNFPA, Department of Social Development (DSD) and the following Universities; University of the Free State, University of Cape Town and nelson Mandela metropolitan University, and Bethelsdorp Development Trust.   The total number of participants (Associates) who successfully completed the short course for the year is 81. These can become Fellows by picking up additional modules later.
The PED short course has been accredited as a short course by South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) through University of the Free State and this enhances the recognition and value of the course.  The Special Opportunity Fund on accreditation inspired the process.  Check the University of the Free State website for details (www.uovs.co.za) under short courses.


OTHER ACTIVITIES

There were many high profile activities in 2006 in which LEAD SEA participated.  These are listed below with the partners in brackets.
- Mainstreaming Environment and Sustainability in African Universities (UNEP/UNESCO) – November, 2006, Nairobi, Kenya.
- Payment for Ecosystem Services (Katoomba Network and Forest Trends).
- Promoting Dialogue between researchers and policy makers (UNESCO/Department of Social Development) –  Argentina and Uruguay
- Ecosystem and Health (IDRC/SIMA) – Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
- African Monitor Consultative meeting (African Monitor) – Cape Town, South Africa
- Consultative meeting on Science in Africa (ICSU) – Johannesburg, South Africa.
- There were 2 joint meetings for LEAD Africa beginning in Malawi (April, 2006) and Tunisia (November, 2006).
- The LEAD SEA launch took place on September 5, 2006 and was attended by 64 people.  Other organizations were invited to make presentations related to Sustainable development such as Malawi Endowment Environmental Trust and Katoomba network.  Fellows assisted in the organization.
- Assisting University of Malawi in coordination of Masters in Environmental Science programme (Faculty of Science) as one way of providing service to University of Malawi.

INVOLVEMENT OF FELLOWS

Fellows continue to make impact in several ways.  Some examples given below, indicate that the female fellows did very well in 2006:

Annie Chimphango (C7, Malawi)
Received a presidential award for best female scientists in 2006 in South Africa where she is reading for PhD.

Vuyisiwa Magobolo (C7, South Africa)
She is Zone Area Manager in the GuguletuTownship of Cape Town and has used her LEAD training for combining recreation and green zone areas conservation.

Anna Fernandez (C6, Mozambique)
She was promoted to Area manager in Coca-Cola Company in Maputo, Mozambique.

Meya Kalindekafe (C7, Malawi)
She is a member of resource persons selected to provide training in aspects of sustainable development to Members of Parliament in Malawi.

Mpho Nenweli (C11, South Africa)
He has been promoted to Deputy Chief of Department.  This follows recognition by his LAP which contributed significantly to the PED Nexus module.

Fulgencio Nhumaio (C8, Mozambique)
As a medical doctor, he has continued to practice and serve patients very well.  At the same time he has been studying on part time and successfully became a medical specialist in 2006.

Henry Mloza Banda (C7, Malawi)
He has been promoted to become a full Professor.  His project in water harvesting has continued to make impact for rural agriculture sector as well as supplying adequate water for institutions looking after AIDS orphans.

Lameck Mwewa (C10, Zambia)
Since relocating from his home country Zambia to Namibia, he has taken up a number of assignments related to sustainable development, very much putting in practice the LEAD experience.

Patricia Masanganise (C5, Zimbabwe)
Having relocated to University of Makerere (Uganda) from Zimbabwe, he has been working on a programme on agriculture, initially run by the Rockfeller Foundation and covering many countries in Africa.

Bongiwe Ludidi (C8, South Africa)
She was posted to work for the South African Embassy in Australia, a clear recognition of her leadership skills.

Tamala Kambikambi (C5, Zambia)
She has been appointed to the Technical Advisory Committee of Environmental Council of Zambia, local steering committee of the GEF/UNEP project on Invasive Alien Species covering 4 African countries and also to National Team on adaptation of plan of action on climate change.

Anna Maembe (C4, Tanzania)
She was attached to the UK Foreign and Commonwealth office in London for 3 months and she found the experience professionally enriching to supplement LEAD training.

Robert Gallagher (C4, South Africa)
What begun as a LEAD case study has developed into a successful community trust (Bethelsdorp Development Trust) that provides services by way of skills development and income generating activities.  The project has been able to attract a number of partners such as Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA).  The next task is to create a heritage site for Ecotourism.

Contact with Fellows
Contact is mostly via email.  At least once a month, the office publishes a news update highlighting activities of the office, fellows and key partners.  The fellows also assisted in the implementation of short course training.

National Committees
They have continued to enhance networking nationally.  They need to be mobilized to take on new assignment over and above the original tasks of assisting in selecting and training Associates.


PLANS FOR 2007

Action Projects
LEAD SEA is key partner with Government of Malawi in the implementation of payment for Ecosystem project.  Other proposals will be submitted for sponsorship with other partners.

PartnershipsLEAD SEA will maintain relationships with old partners and establish new ones.  For example discussions are underway with UNFPA and Department of Social Development for a second round or funding for the PED Nexus.  LEAD SEA will also continue to pursue in collaboration with LEAD Anglophone West Africa and LEAD Francophone Africa for potential partners in implementing LEAD Africa projects.  The opportunities include CSR, Ecosystem and health, Transboundary issues (natural resource management, HIV/AIDS).
LEAD SEA also finally formalized a link relationship with Institute for Global Initiatives at Kennesaw University in United States of America.