Carmen LaCambra

Carmen LaCambra came to the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) in Cambridge, England, from Colombia to 'close the gap between academic science and science for development'. A biologist by training, LaCambra was awarded a Chevening Scholarship by the British Council to spend a year at UNEP-WCMC. Says Carmen, 'You gain experience that helps build your career, and make links that you can maintain back in your home country. It opens your mind to active, equitable partnership: the Centre gives us support, but we have knowledge to contribute in return. Here in the North there is political will for conservation, but much biodiversity is in the countries of the South. The two sides must work together through information exchange, capacity building and joint scientific research to achieve simultaneous holistic development.'

Shan Khee Lee

Another Chevening scholar, Shan Khee Lee, from Malaysia, added: 'Before I came to the WCMC, I was working as a field researcher in north Borneo, with communities and animals on a local level - but I wanted to see conservation on a global scale and gain technical skills to share with colleagues back home. In Cambridge, I've had the opportunity to communicate with researchers worldwide, sharing data and knowledge. It's given a context to my local efforts and will help immensely when I return to Malaysia and work at the local level once again.'

Leadership for Environment and Development (LEAD) International coordinates educational programmes for people and institutions interested in sustainable development. Its 1,500 individual members, or Fellows, in more than 85 countries work together on projects and publications and participate in international peer-learning sessions. LEAD also runs postgraduate courses in sustainable development and organizes students and young professionals to work alongside, and be mentored by, other LEAD Fellows. Simone Beatrice Noemdoe, a LEAD Fellow working in South Africa to reintegrate people living with HIV/AIDS into society through public works employment, explains, 'The South African Government has demonstrated its commitment, but we lack people with enough skills to implement these initiatives. My LEAD training provided me with the enhanced knowledge, understanding and skills in order to take this on.'