U.S. agencies offer aid to NGOs
U.S. agencies offer aid to NGOs
JAKARTA (JP): Three U.S. organizations are offering grants of US$25,000 to an unlimited number of Indonesian non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to develop environmental protection measures for private businesses and commercial ventures.
The donors are the Asia Foundation, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the United States-Asia Environmental Partnership (US-AEP). The environmental-care grants, a portion of which is provided by private businesses, will be given to the NGOs in Asia for a period of one year.
Melissa S. Dann of the US-AEP said yesterday the program is meant to encourage NGOs to take a less confrontational stance with the private sector when addressing the environmental impact of businesses and commercial activities here and in other countries in Asia.
NGOs collaborating with private businesses is expected to create greater understanding among NGOs and the public alike, regarding the constraints faced by businesses in their attempt to preserve the environment they operate in, she said.
In addition, business leaders will gain an increased awareness of the potential for integrating environmental improvement with profitable enterprise, she said.
Dann said there are many environmental problems, especially industrial related ones, in Indonesia.
She praised the Indonesian government and NGOs for efforts in environmental management and protection.
Dann said a number of NGOs and private businesses have approached the organization for the program, but the US-AEP has yet to select the recipients.
USAID is a United States' government agency established for foreign aid services for developing countries.
The Asia Foundation is a private American grant organization that promotes understanding and cooperation between the U.S. and Asian countries. Established in 1954, it has 14 offices in Asia and makes more than 1500 grants a year to government agencies and NGOs in 37 Asian and Pacific Island nations.
Under USAID supervision, US-AEP was founded in 1992.
Chris Plante, a USAID official, said the establishment of US- AEP is to assist countries in the Asia-Pacific region in addressing environmental degradation. It works by mobilizing U.S. environmental experience and technology, he said.
Most of its activities are meant to promote a "clean revolution" of Asia, sustainable development, and to ensure the adoption of less polluting, more resource-efficient production processes, and services in the Asian region, he said. (imn)