By; MKPUMA ENYINNA, Abakaliki
The USAID- Integrated Health Programme (IHP) has successfully organized a two-day Capacity Building Training for Civil Society Organisations in Ebonyi State, with a charge on the participants to always follow IHP Budget/Proposal writing procedures to attract available grants from the organisation.
The training which took place in Abakaliki, had over 60 CSOs in attendance.
While handing down the charge, the Integrated Health Programme State Director, Dr. Gladys Olisaekee said that the essence of the training is to equip local CSOs with modern information and skills on how to write and successfully respond to IHP solicitations for grants under contracts.
Dr. Olisaekee who was represented by Mr. Nanke Etimata commended the participants, especially the executive directors of different CSO groups in the state for honoring their invitation, urging them to be proactive in writing applications during the training for successful grants awards. In the same vein, the Senior Grant and Compliance Manager for IHP, Lady Nkechi Acho said that the training was apt and would assist CSOs in the state to utilize available information on current proposal writing and prudence in financial management to gain the trust of donors and therefore, be able to access grants from agencies.
One of the participants and Executive Director, Neighbourhood Environment Watch Foundation, Dr. Kenechukwu Okezie said that NGOs in the state had a low capacity to attract grants from donors due to the inability to present approvable proposals and expressed hope that the new knowledge gathered at the training would assist them to prepare proposals that would attract funds from donor agencies. Dr. Okezie also appreciated the organizers of the training and promised to utilize the information for future grant applications.
The workshop featured pre and post-test questionnaires, paper presentations, discussions, among others.
