About MEET
Who we are
The Trust was registered on the 5th of March 1999 under the Trustees Incorporation Act, 1962.
Our Vision
To enable all people to address the environmental challenges in Malawi.
Our Mission
To administer the endowment fund and other funds on behalf of the people of Malawi in order to provide sustainable support for improved environmental management.
Our Strategic Objectives
The following strategic objectives ensure that MEET addresses the immediate conservation needs of Malawi while at the same time building the capacity of communities and other key stakeholders to ensure their active and effective participation in sustainable environmental management.
- Manage and grow the Endowment Fund as a self-sustaining financing mechanism and also manage other funds for environmental activities.
- Provide support to institutions involved in appropriate management, research and educational activities addressing key environmental and natural resource issues.
- Support the empowerment of communities towards the sustainable management and utilization of the environment and natural resources thereby contributing to poverty reduction.
- Identify, create and foster partnerships amongst the different stakeholders for the promotion of environmental issues.
Our Values for Execellece
- Stewardship: MEET views its role as one of environmental stewardship and hopes to act as a catalyst in the promotion of sustainable environmental management practices in Malawi.
- Accountability: The Trust cherishes its independence and supports democratic structures and values, and promotes total transparency and accountability to its stakeholders.
- Empowerment: The Trust supports community empowerment and encourages communities to solve their own problems.
- Professionalism: The Trust embraces professionalism, participatory management style, and equal opportunity employment.
- Capacity development: The Trust believes in achieving organizational and personal goals through professional development and capacity building.
Governance
Expertise
In terms of fund management, the Trust strives to monitor and maintain the value of the endowment fund, thus managing the cash flow of the institution and the grant facility. MEET also has the capacity to manage and disburse funds from a variety of sources, such as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds from the private sector, to support conservation and natural resource management.
Fund Management
MEET was established as an innovative financing mechanism in the form of an endowment. An endowment is an investment of a capital sum from which only the income is used.
The Conservation Trust Fund Investment Survey (2011) states that Trust Funds, that usually take the shape of an endowment or sinking fund, are able to use income from investments to provide a reliable source of support for the management of protected areas, conservation projects and to support indigenous communities. With a stable source of operational funding from investment returns, these trusts are also effective in managing and disbursing funds from a variety of sources to support conservation and sustainable income projects. Conservation Trust Funds are also well placed to provide long term financing for conservation and climate change through periods of political volatility.
MEET’s endowment fund was capitalized by a grant under the USAID\Government of Malawi (GoM) cooperative agreement under the Natural Resources Management and Environmental Support Programme (NATURE). The cooperative agreement committed the GoM to allocate $4.41 million to capitalize the Endowment Fund. This money was released in two installments, US$1.403 million in August 2002 and US$3 million in October 2003. The fund is invested in Malawi, in local currency. In accordance with MEET’s strategic objectives, the Trust is mandated to manage the endowment fund, and any other funds.
In accordance with MEET’s Investment Policy, the Trust works in collaboration with a Fund Manager, who provides specialized fund and investment management expertise. The current Fund Manager is CDH Asset Management Ltd (CDHAM).
CDH Asset Management Limited (CDHAM) is a wholly owned subsidiary of CDH Holding Limited. CDHAM was established in 2003 and is licensed as a Portfolio and Investment Managers and Financial Advisors by the Reserve Bank of Malawi under the Securities Act of 2010. The organization is also a registered corporate advisor on the Malawi Stock Exchange (MSE) and are supervised and regulated by the Reserve Bank of Malawi.
Transparency and Accountability
MEET is committed to the highest standards of transparency and accountability to its stakeholders and as such maintains a zero tolerance to all forms of fraud and corruption. To this effect, all incidents of fraud and corruption will be reported and investigated. The Trust’s mission is to administer an endowment fund and other funds on behalf of the people of Malawi in order to provide sustainable support for improved environmental management activities. Any fraud or corrupt practise in MEET’s operations depletes resources intended for beneficiaries aligned to support MEET’s mission.