Community Perspectives on the
Value of HIMA and their Motivation
Omani Case Study
By Asma Al Bulushi
Environment Society of Oman
Outline
• Introduction about ESO
• Social involvement in the Conservation of the
endangered Egyptian Vulture in Oman (ESO, Hima
Fund):
– Social survey.
– Monitoring & Capacity building in local
community.
– Women Socioeconomic Development.
• Women’s Environmental Education and
Empowerment (ESO)
Environment Society of Oman
• ESO was founded in March 2004
by Omanis representing different
regions and many different
professional backgrounds.
• Our official ESO logo, designed
to represent the key threated
animal in Oman , turtle with an
outline of a Wa'al (Arabian Tahr)
on its shell, symbolizing both the
marine and terrestrial
environment.
Aims of ESO
• To help educate and to raise awareness of environmental
issues.
• To enable the public to become actively involved in
conservation by organizing participatory events.
• To provide a forum for exchange of ideas and information
related to the human and natural environment of Oman.
• To foster co-operation between government, NGO's and the
private sector to promote conservation of Oman's human and
natural environment.
• To carry out field research of Oman's human and natural
environment in order to help provide the necessary information
for conservation initiatives.
Project & Events of ESO
Current Projects:
• Project Frankincense
• Egyptian Vulture
• Women Education &
Empowerment
• Renaissance Whale &
Dolphin project
• Turtle Conservation
Project & Events of ESO
Outreach Campaigns & Events:
• Earth Hour (last Saturday in
every March)
• Intercollege Environmental
speaking competition –ICSC(October-November)
• Masirah festival (One week in
April)
• Tree planting campaigns (One
week in April)
Conservation of the endangered Egyptian
Vulture in Oman
Environment Society of Oman
Funded by “Hima Fund”
Photo by: Ivaylo Angelov
Part of Project objective
– Develop local capacity among key
educational institutions in Oman by
engaging Omanis students.
- Enhance the local/national
knowledge of endangered birds, and
particularly Egyptian Vultures within
local communities, by working with
the Omani Women Association.
Questionnaire (Social Survey)
• The questionnaire was filled by interviewing the
community from different groups (women,
fishermen, elderly people, students, public and
private sector employees)
• Aims:
• Perception, local stories, local information were recorded
• Raising interest and awareness at the same time.
Questionnaire (Social Survey)
• Some Opinions:
• 68% of the people interviewed think the Egyptian Vulture
should be protected, 32% consider that the bird does not
require special protection because it is not endangered on
the Island.
• 56% think the bird is not respected on the island, because
it is a threat to livestock, it has a bad smell and it lives and
feeds on rubbish. 39% of local habitants view the fact that
the birds feeds on rubbish and dead animals as an asset, as
it cleans the environment.
• 68% of the people interviewed think the Egyptian Vulture
is increasing in population.
Interviewing Masirah
Community & filling
Questionnaire
Capacity building and training for local
people in HIMA area
•
•
3 of ESO field assistant (rangers) are originally from Masirah and working in different ESO projects such
as Egyptian vulture
The field assistant trained by two experts: Ivaylo Angelov and Mike Mcgrady in 2 phases (Feb and May
& October):
– learning more about the behaviors of territorial vultures.
– Aiding and searching for territories, identification of nest sites,
– Aging of breeders, accessing nest sites
– Observation and Record keeping
– Searching for food source in the island, achieving a specific counting and aging birds (adult and
juvenile ) in the feeding sites (dumpsite areas)
– Trap the bird and take the measurement, and ring the bird,.
Positives:
•
•
•
•
•
Independency - continue counting the juvenile and adult to built a data base for Masirah Island and
continue observing the ringed bird.
loggerhead turtle conservation gave them advance skill
They are more aware about their natural resource, they feel scared when huge stranding is appearing in
their area
More responsible to find a solution for every problem faced their natural resources
Open to accept the solution even it was tough and cost a lot.
Phase 1
Fig: Capacity building of local area in Masirah island
Phase 2
Fig: Trapping, ringing, handling and
measuring vultures.
Women Socioeconomic Development
• Masirah island has a rich biodiversity (Egyptian
vulture, 4 species of sea turtle are nesting and
marine mammals (whales and dolphins) the
socioeconomic context of the island
• The fishing industry provides most of the incomes
to the people of the island
• Socioeconomic activates were chosen to link
between the environment and a new training and
job opportunities on the island
Aims of Women Socioeconomic
Development
• ESO designed the program to target the women of
Masirah:
• Develop a relationship between the local community
and their surrounding environment by creating positive
interactions
• Develop the potential for a sustainable income
generating project for the local community, where they
can improve their livelihoods while working towards
protection of their local environmental resources
• Develop Omani women’s vocational skills in the local
community to reach certain level of proficiency
Training Programs
• Two professional training programs for the
women of Masirah was designed and
developed:
– Recycling paper and packaging
– Silkscreen printing
Silkscreen printing
• 11 women were trained on
silkscreen printing.
• 2 week of training
• handmade printing techniques.
• The designs reflected their
local biodiversity:
– Egyptian vultures
– loggerhead sea turtles
– whales and dolphins
• Printed on recycled paper as
well as T-shirts, and drinking
glasses.
Recycling paper and packaging
• 11 women were trained on
silkscreen printing.
• 2 week of training
• They used both artificial as
well as natural dyes from
henna and squid ink.
• various products were
created: notebooks, pens,
greeting cards, frames, 3D
moulds and key chains.
Women’s Environmental Education and
Empowerment
• ESO in coordination with the Omani Women’s Association in 8
regions
Objectives
• Raise the awareness on environmental issues
• Equip women with basic data collection, research analysis and
communication tools
• Empower women to approach decision makers (Majlis Ash’ Shura
representatives of their regions)
• Develop a community-led action plan to mitigate the environmental
problems
• Training of the trainers – shared experiences with neighboring
regions
Women’s Empowerment
• 2 phases targeting 8 OWA’s
• >200 women trained on how to conduct background
research, data collection, documentation.
• Developed and submitted essays addressing
environmental issues and mitigation plans
• 8 winners met with their regional Majlis Ash’shura
representatives and developed a report with
recommendations addressed to the President of Majlis
As’Shura
• Empowered women and gave them the confidence to
approach decision makers – TOT to other regions
Women’s Empowerment
• Phase 1 (2010-2011)
– Muscat, Nizwa, Sohar and Salalah
• Phase 2 (2011-2012)
– Sur, Ibri, Khasab, Yankul
• Phase 3 (2014-2015)
– Implementation of mitigation measures for 2 projects
•
•
Environmental and Health Impacts of the Waste Generated
from the Gold and Copper Mine in Yankul.
Environmental and Health issues from Industries in Sohar
Phase 3 (2014- 2015)
• Develop survey and advocacy tools further
• Research Assistants – public participation
sessions, focus groups
• Communication skills, confidence
• Create partnerships among stakeholders to
enhance collaboration between civil society
organisations, public authorities and the
private sector in Oman.
The Obstacles
• The environmental problems has to be addressed in
the right way.
• Many individuals notice the environmental problems,
the progress to solve the problems take long time
(some people give up from first stage).
• Many organization that have the authority are not
collaborated, the community need support.
• Most of the expert are worried from local people, to
not take their position (capacity building).
• Difficult to work with local community in some areas to
change their behavior.
Thank you!!
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