SABONET Contract Staff

Many staff members in the herbaria of southern Africa have been contracted under the SABONET project in April 1998, others joined us later, but the fact remains that all impressed us with their particularly effective working capacity and enthusiasm. Without all the Research Officers, Technical Assistants, and Data Entry Clerks the project would not have been where it is today. As a UNDP-GEF funded project, SABONET gratefully recognizes the effort and the dedication of all those who gave a part of their lives to pursue a common goal in southern Africa, namely to document the plant diversity of this floristically rich region.

Although many staff members in the region have been or will be absorbed by their institutions before the contract expiry dates of 31 March 2003 and 30 June 2003, many will not be so fortunate and will have to seek job opportunities elsewhere. However, SABONET is a capacity building initiative and those that will have to leave, take with them many skills and a keen knowledge of the plant diversity of the region. SABONET has conducted 25 training courses and implemented 46 internships for staff from herbaria in the region, many of which were contract employees. These courses and internships provided staff with opportunities to become proficient in computers and databases, familiar with herbarium practices and management, well-informed regarding plant identifications, and equipped as plant diversity specialists.

As individuals, all the SABONET contract staff impressed us with their strong motivation to succeed in whatever activity they embarked on, no matter how difficult the task. They all made a difference and will definitely leave their mark on the development of botanical sciences in southern Africa. Thanks for your dedication and hard work! We will miss all those that are leaving. We wish you the best of luck for your future and hope you will rise to many adventurous challenges with all the inspiration and commitment you showed as a member of the SABONET team.

Thank you to:
Ms Teresa Martins, Mr Andre Dombo, Mr Cidalio Francisco, and Mr Jose Calonga (Angola);
Ms Ludo Matenge and Ms Neo Lekomola (Botswana);
Ms Lerato Kose, Ms Puleng Matebesi, Mr Khotso Kobisi, and Mr Malefetsane Tlali (Lesotho);
Ms Elizabeth Mwafongo, Ms Gladys Msekandiana, Mr Maxwell Mwamwaya, Ms Brigitte Kubwalo, and Mr Donald Mpalika (Malawi);
Ms Samira Izidine, Ms Ana Bela Amude, Ms Iva Vaz, Ms Raquel Matsinhe, Mr Aurelio Benchel, and Mr Carlos Zita (Mozambique);
Ms Coleen Mannheimer, Ms Petronella Claasen, Ms Birgit Rahn, and Ms Elizabeth Campbell (Namibia);
Ms Fatima Parker, Ms Hassina Aboobaker, Ms Tebogo Rampho, Ms Angela Baadjes, Ms Michelle Engelbrecht, Ms Veronica Williams, Ms Najuwa Davids, Ms Kinny Mmakola, and Mr Alpheus Mothapo (South Africa);
Mr Christopher Tshabalala and Mr Comfort Nhleko (Swaziland);
Ms Maureen Kalusa and Mr George Shakatwa (Zambia);
Mr Phelex Manyanga, Ms Rachel Rusere, Mr Christopher Chapano, Ms Memory Chandinyira, Ms Nancy Mugarisanwa, and Ms Martha Mamuto (Zimbabwe).