Ford Motor Company Conservation and Environmental Grants Programme Awards a Total of US$100,000 to 18 Local Organisations in the Middle East and North Africa

• In 2015, Ford Grants expanded its reach to cover environmental projects in Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco
• Two projects from Lebanon received a total of US$12,500 Ford Grants focused on environmental education and conservation engineering
• Programme has awarded recipients from the region more than US$1.5 Million over the past 15 years

The Ford Motor Company Conservation and Environmental Grants programme today announced 18 recipients who will share US$100,000 to support their ongoing projects aimed at protecting the environment utilising various innovative methods.

The Grants programme, which helps grassroots level projects dedicated to environmental causes, announced winners from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. For the first-time in the initiative’s history, the Ford Grants was extended to Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco in 2015.

From Lebanon, the Ford Grants initiative awarded a total of US$12,500 for natural environment conservation and environmental engineering. The Green Hand Organisation (GHO) submitted its project called Green Hand Botanical Garden (GHBG) – Iris Sofarana Conservation Garden. It is the first botanic garden in Lebanon involved in conserving floral diversity both in its natural habitat and species transplanted into another suitable environment to proliferate and propagate. In particular, the project aims to conserve endangered floral bulb species including Iris sofarana – an endemic plant found only in Lebanon. GHO intends to raise awareness through interactive workshops among students, environmental NGOs, private sector and municipalities. With the grants received, GHO will use the US$7,500 fund awarded by Ford Grants to cover costs of identification and collection of species, equipment and tools and training.

The Development for People and Nature Association (DPNA)’s project called My Environment, My Home aims to educate the public on the importance of waste sorting at source. The project is being implemented at Ein Zaarour summer camp in Jezzine wherein waste bins, plastic shredders, waste compactor and compost bins will be provided. DPNA will use the US$5,000 Ford Grants to help purchase sorting waste bins, compost bins, hydraulic baler press, plastic shredder and protective umbrella.

“For the past 15 years, the Ford Motor Company Conservation and Environmental Grants have actively supported various grass-roots level environmental projects in the region. It is our hope that through this programme, we have helped make a difference in the communities where we serve our customers,” said Jim Benintende, president, Ford Middle East & Africa. “We commend the selfless efforts of all Ford Grants recipients and their continued commitment in conserving their local environment,” and are pleased to see that the majority of the 2015 winners have dedicated their work in awareness projects to educate their communities about the importance of conservation.”

The recipients of the 2015 Ford Motor Company Conservation & Environmental Grants are:

OMAN

Biosphere Expeditions: Capacity building in civil society in marine conservation in the Sultanate of Oman. Award: US$7,000

SAUDI ARABIA

Abdulaziz Alagaili, Zoology Department, King Saud University: Can you help me find a place to hide? Alternative roosting sites for insectivorous bats in Saudi Arabia. Award: US$10,000

Ghada Al Bakr: Part 1: Ammar in the deep sea / Part 2 Wild Animals in KSA – Learn and Colour / Part 3: Play with the environment. Award: US$5,000 

LEBANON

Green Hand Organisation (GHO): Green Hand Botanical Garden (GHBG)  – Iris Sofarana Conservation Garden. Award: US$7,500

Development for People and Nature Association (DPNA): My Environment, My Home. Award: US$5,000

JORDAN

The Children’s Museum Jordan: Development of a new biodiversity exhibition at the Children’s Museum.  Award: US$10,000 

Hikaya Center for Civil Society Development: Radio Al Najah – Generation for the environment. Award: US$5,000

Hanan Qundil: Payback – Rad Al Jameel. Award: US$10,000

EGYPT

Khalid Ghanem: Asila.  Award: US$5,000 

Marwa Halmy: Gardening using endangered species as a means to preserve species. Award: US$2,500 

Usama Fatthalla A. Mohammed: Conservation of globally endangered dragon tree and capacity building of rangers in Elba mountain park.  Award: US$5,000 

TUNISIA

DiversEarth: Marabout: Environmental conservation vectors in North Africa “Sacred Sites of Conservation”.  Award:  US$3,000

Taoufik Bettaieb: Phytoremediation of soil contaminated by heavy metals using industrial plants. Award US$2,500

ALGERIA

Djnoui Nasraoui: Feqara Irrigation System. Award: US$7,000

Bentaiba Abderrahmane: Warda. Award:  US$2,500 

MOROCCO

The Moroccan Association of Microbial Biotechnology and Protection of Natural Resources: Contribution to environmental preservation and to improve living and hygienic conditions in southern oases of Morocco. Award US$5,000

Abdelaziz Benyahia: Preservation of Argan Trees. Award US$4,000 

L’Association des Enseignants des Sciences de la Vie et de la Terre (AESVT): Exp’Eau (Exhibition and education on water protection). Award US$4,000

Programme History

Over the last 15 years, the programme has awarded more than US$1.5 Million, spread to 194 independent projects throughout the Middle East and North Africa.  Grants have supported projects that promote capacity building, species conservation, protection of natural resources and educating the youth in environment protection. The Ford Grants is one of the largest corporate initiatives of its kind in the region, created to empower individuals and non-profit groups that are donating their time and efforts to preserve the environmental well-being of their communities.

Since its inception, the Ford Motor Company Conservation & Environmental Grants has received support from various governmental and non-governmental environmental authorities from around the Middle East, including the World Wide Fund for Nature, the Emirates Wildlife Society, the Arab Forum for Environment & Development (AFED) and UNESCO Doha.

Winners are chosen by an independent panel of judges consisting of academics and leaders from regional environmental organisations.  The judges are seasoned environmentalists or academicians from the region carefully selected based on geographical coverage, age and gender equality. They look for initiatives that demonstrate a well-defined sense of purpose, a commitment to maximising available resources, and a reputation for meeting objectives and delivering planned programmes and services.