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Port Glaud Residents Trained to Develop Community Projects

In a ceremony held in December at Nature Seychelles’ offices in Roche Caiman, community members and LEAP project stakeholders from the Port Glaud district were honoured for completing a short business course at The Guy Morel Institute (TGMI) earlier in May 2024.

The introductory course on project management was organised by Nature Seychelles through the Locally Empowered Area Protection (LEAP) project. It aimed at building the capacity of local people and stakeholders of the Port Launay and Baie Ternay Marine National Parks, enabling them to consider setting up or getting involved in, small, local projects that could sustain their livelihoods.

Over the course of five days, participants learned the fundamentals of project planning and development, budgeting, and monitoring and evaluation. They also gained skills in using project management tools to support activity planning and tracking of project milestones.

The course targeted residents and stakeholders of Port Glaud district

A total of 14 participants successfully completed the course, which included practical project preparation. Under the guidance of TGMI lecturer Winsely Kayatta, they brainstormed ideas for viable projects and developed full project proposals. These proposals covered diverse areas, from setting up edutainment activities for the youth to improving visitor education facilities in protected areas.

At the December ceremony, participants received certificates of achievements and shared feedback on the short course. Many said that they now have a better understanding of what is required to initiate small nature-friendly projects or businesses in their district. The project development process gave them hands on experience in understanding who their stakeholders are, their importance, and possible networking opportunities with local partners and businesses. They said that the course helped them identify potential challenges in project implementation and equipped them with effective methods to deliver projects successfully—on time and within budget.

They received certificates and provided feedback in December

“The training helped participants develop their nature-based business ideas. Some are already working on their projects, and we’re excited to see the positive impact they will have. We provided recommendations on obtaining the necessary licenses and permits and made suggestions for funding opportunities to support their initiatives,” said Dr Nirmal Shah, Nature Seychelles’ Chief Executive.

Hilary Albert from Ephelia Resort, who has a beekeeping project in the mangroves at the hotel, said the course will help them develop community-focused and environmentally beneficial projects. “We built a strong bond during the course, and maybe in the future we can collaborate on activities since we all come from the same district,” she said.

Bryan Florentine found the experience rewarding. Although he had a background in business studies, the course deepened his understanding and helped him refine his proposal. “I have a business mindset and always come up with ideas. This course allowed me to develop and present my concept to myself before sharing it with others.”

The short course was supported by the previous phase of the LEAP project, which was funded by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) with technical support from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).