Victoria (November 17, 2020) – The Seychelles Conservation and Climate Adaptation Trust (SeyCCAT) has announced the recipients of the small grants (up to SCR 100,000) under the Blue Grants Fund (BGF). The announcement follows a grants application window 2020 that lasted 6 weeks in July-August of this year.
The recipients are:
- Laura Valentino – Endemic Species Children Book
- Sheena Talma – Feasibility study for SEYSSI – Seychelles Sustainable Seafood Initiative
- Wiseoceans – Supporting sustainable snorkelling practices in Sainte Anne Marine Park through stakeholder engagement.
- Mariette Dine – Feasibility study on the potential contribution of seaweed cultivation across sectors in Seychelles for sustainable production and consumption.
- Robert Mondon– Wildlife books/educational material for schoolchildren
- Susan Ansell – Mangrove Regeneration and Viewing Walkway
- Marcus Valentin – A practical approach to educating the younger generation about sustainability, the protection of the marine environment and issues surrounding climate change.
Four out of seven selected projects are led by youth or have a younger population as main beneficiaries. For example, a project submitted by Robert Mondon seeks to develop a series of books to educate children about the rich biodiversity of Seychelles and the human-induced threats it faces. The first proposed publication “Sootina” tells a story of a female sooty tern and builds on research by another SeyCCAT-funded project that uses satellite transmitters to understand the feeding locations of this species.
“We saw the Blue Grants Fund as an opportunity to bridge the gap in the education of younger schoolchildren about the environmental challenges. Seychelles’ biodiversity is truly unique, and we hope to use the art of storytelling to help raise the next generation of nature advocates”, – said Robert Mondon, a successful BGF applicant.
This year, the Trust received a record 75 applications with a total requested value of SCR 53 million. For many applicants, it was the first experience with the crafting a grants request submission.
Angelique Pouponneau, the CEO of SeyCCAT, said: “Initially, the fund was accessed by established NGOs with significant experience in preparing strong project proposals. Today, however, the pool of successful applicants includes many young people without any prior experience in preparing SeyCCAT applications. This shows that capacity building and hands-on training are an important factor for funds to reach the community”.
Small grants, up to SCR 100,000, are awarded following a simplified submission and review process. Potential applicants need to prepare a concept note and provide supporting documents that are reviewed by a panel of experts. The applications can be submitted online, in English or Creole languages. Alongside small grants, the Blue Grants Fund awards larger grants between SCR 100,000 and SCR 1,000,000 to impactful Seychellois-led projects.