Ithimba leSimangaliso Wetland Park Global Environment Facility-7 (GEF-7) lithathe isinyathelo lokuhambela imiphakathi elizosebenzisana nayo kumaphrojekthi azokwenziwa ezindaweni zayo. Kulamaphrojekthi kuzohlomula kakhulu imiphakathi esondelene nepaki ngezindlela ezahlukahlukene, lokhu kufaka phakathi ukukhulisa umnotho ngemvelo, ukwakhiwa kwamabhizinisi, amathuba emisebenzi, kanye nokuthuthukisa imiphakathi. Ngenkathi kunalo mjikelezo, imiphakathi (SMME’s, ubuholi bama-Trust kanye nobuholi bomdabu) banikwe ithuba lokuthi bavezele leli thimba amaphrojekthi abo kumbe imicabango abanayo ngamabhizinisi angenziwa ngaphansi kohlelo lweSimangaliso lokuthuthukisa imiphakathi esondelele nePaki.

Ubuholi bomdabu buholwa iNkosi Nxumalo buthathe ithimba le-GEF-7 labuyisa endaweni ephakanyisiwe ukuba ifakwe naphansi kwezindawo ezivikeliwe (Community Conservation Area). Sekugcinwa, ithimba libe selihambela eMakhasa ukuyobona indawo evikelwe ephethwe umphakathi kanye nokunika ithuba abaholi balomphakathi ukuthi uxhumane nethimba ukuze bezozwakalisa abafisa ukusizwa ngakho. Kuwo wonke lamaphrojekthi, ithimba lizophinde lisize osomabhizinisi abancane bakule miphakathi.

Umjikelezo wokuhambela izindawo okuzokwenziwa kuzona amaProjekthi e-GEF-7 ube impumelelo enkulu. Lokhu kunike ithimba le-GEF-7 ukuqonda ukuthi hlobo luni lwemiphakathi elizosebenzisana nayo kanye nokuthi bengayithuthukisa kanjani le miphakathi kube kuhlomula yona ngamathuba emisebenzi kanye namabhizinisi. Lokhu kufinyelele ekutheni kuqokwe abagqugquzeli benhlalonhle (Social Facilitators) abavele besohlwini lwabalekeleli beSimangaliso Wetland Park). Kuze kube manje, ukuxhumana nababambe iqhaza abahlukene sekuvele kuqalile, lokhu kufaka phakathi abahlomuli kulamaphrojekthi, ubuholi bomdabu, omasipala njll. Ithimba leSimangaliso lizolokhu lihambela lezi zindawo njengoba kuzokuqaliswa lezi zinhlelo.

Kuthe sekuqedwe lo mjikelezo, ithimba libe seliba nomhlangano nosomabhizinisi abancane kanye nababambe iqhaza eSimangaliso Wetland Park ngenhloso yokubalekelela ukugcwalisa amafomu okufaka isicelo sokuthola uxhaso lokuthuthukisa amabhizinisi amancane. Lokhu kuza ngemuva kokuthi i-GEF SGP uvule ithuba lokuthi ulekelele abanamaphrojekthi amancane adinga uxhaso lwemali engeqi kuhhafu wesigidi (R500 000) ukuze beqale amabhizinisi abo. Ithimba leSimangaliso lithathe ithuba ukuba limeme bonke labo abangathanda ukufaka izicelo ukuba libasize ngokugcwaliswa kwamafomu kanye kukufakwa kweminye imininingo edingekayo.

Kube sekumenywa abamele iSGP ukulekelela imiphakathi mayelana nokuchaza kabanzi eminye imibuzo okungaba ukuthi abayiqondi kahle. Imiphakathi esondelene neSimangaliso ilamukele ithuba elinikiwe njengoba umphakathi bewuphume ngothi lwawo ukuzolalela kanye nokugcwalisa amafomu kahle. Lo mhlangano uza ngemuva kokuthi ithimba leSGP lifike eSimangaliso ukuzokwenza izethulo kanye nokuvakashela amabhizinisi amancane aphethwe abantu bakule miphakathi abangathanda ukuba ixhaswe yiSGP.

Kulo mhlangano, iSimangaliso GEF-7 selule isimemo samema eminye iminyango abasebenzisana nayo ukulekelela imiphakathi, omasipala abasondelene nepaki abafana nomasipala uMhlabuyalingana, Jozini, Mtubatuba kanye noMhlosinga Development Agency.