{"id":3733,"date":"2021-08-05T14:59:02","date_gmt":"2021-08-05T14:59:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nepal.communitere.org\/?p=3733"},"modified":"2021-08-05T14:59:08","modified_gmt":"2021-08-05T14:59:08","slug":"launch-of-undps-global-environment-facility-small-grants-program-gef-sgp-upscaling-nepals-green-enterprises","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nepal.communitere.org\/launch-of-undps-global-environment-facility-small-grants-program-gef-sgp-upscaling-nepals-green-enterprises\/","title":{"rendered":"Launch of UNDP\u2019s Global Environment Facility Small Grants Program (GEF-SGP): Upscaling Nepal\u2019s Green Enterprises"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
By: Padmakshi Rana<\/a> and Aarati Joshi <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n In our mission \u2018to support entrepreneurs to build successful businesses that create viable solutions, generate revenue and create jobs for a better Nepal\u2019, we are incredibly excited to partner with the GEF-SGP<\/a> team, and assist two of our I-Cube Business Business Incubation Program<\/a>, Year 2 alumni – Antidote Nepal<\/a> and Ecoorb Ventures<\/a> in upscaling their businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n GEF-SGP \u201cworks with local communities in developing countries, including Nepal, to achieve global environmental benefits by addressing their local needs. The programme provides grants to civil society organisations or community-based organisations for initiatives geared at conservation of biodiversity, mitigation of climate change, reduction of land degradation, protection of international waters and elimination of hazardous chemicals.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our ethos is to operate from a place of curiosity versus assumptions and expectations. GEF\u2019s focal areas – climate change\u00a0 and capacity development, align with our objective to support enterprises that focus on integrating social and environmental initiatives in their everyday operations to influence change in consumer behavior and promote conscious consumption while creating green jobs focusing on gender equality and social inclusion. We work with start-ups like Antidote Nepal and Ecoorb Ventures that have sustainability at the core of their operations with Antidote Nepal being based in Kathmandu and expanding their services and Ecoorb Ventures\u2019s paper factory and workers based in Sauraha, Chitwan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We caught up with the Founders of Antidote Nepal and Ecoorb Ventures to hear their views and the way forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Manish Jung Thapa<\/a>,\u00a0 Founder, Antidote Nepal<\/p>\n\n\n\n