The Uafato conservation area which
was managed by OLSSI under the South Pacific Biodiversity Conservation
Program is now operating under its own local village management.
For
2002 since the revival process in February, all three corporate
goals are now substantively achieved in less than a year. First,
membership have accelerated in numbers. Second, we have mobilized
some seven large projects from donors and have participated in
most global and regional conferences. We have led the advocacy
work on these with the Samoa Umbrella NGOs (SUNGO) and with the
Government and the public alike which proved to be most popular
and appreciated by participants. Third, we have now successfully
re-engage the donor community to come back to support the work
of OLSSI.
OLSSI is
part of the strong leadership revival of the work and membership
of SUNGO. Its Executive Director is Vice President of SUNGO and
is Chairman of its Issues Committee
National
and community-based workshops with villages in Upolu and Savaii
have proved popular with the village populations and have secured
with the funding agencies such as FAO, WWF, Friends of the Earth,
Global Forest Coalition, Ministry of Forestry, SPC/GTZ, etc. the
credibility and professionalism of OLSSI to coordinate such workshops.
)