Sibongile Winnie Mavimbela

Sibongile Winnie Mavimbela is the Senior Programme Officer for Environment and Climate Change under the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Directorate of the SADC Secretariat. The upcoming Global Landscape Forum Event Restoring Africa’s drylands: Accelerating Action on the Ground provides an excellent opportunity to launch the GEF-7 Dryland Sustainable Landscape Impact Programme (DSL IP) and talks directly about SADC’s Restoration Programmes under the UNCCD Portfolio. Ms Sibongile is responsible for the collaboration, resource mobilization and execution of activities under this portfolio, working hand in hand with all 16 SADC Member States, from policy level with National Focal Points to action level with relevant CSOs. She is guided by the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) 2020-2030 which places emphasis on “Improved management of the environment and sustainable utilization of natural resources”. It also supports enhancement of sector-based approaches towards developing climate change resilience, combating desertification and land degradation, as well as mitigating effects of drought to achieve Land Degradation Neutrality “I believe in the motto that says ‘just us is not justice’ we need to expand our voice to speak to the voiceless, to save lives and to leave no one behind (as stated in the SDGs). I advocate for environmental sustainability not only as work but as a passion/calling. I am driven by a strong sense of purpose and my values include dependability, reliability, loyalty, commitment, open-mindedness, consistency, honesty, efficiency and inclusive cultural diversity,” she says.