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)