The Government of Japan (GoJ) has extended total grants of US$1.76 million to implement three separate projects in Nepal which involve water and sanitation, livelihood improvement, and newborn and child health. These agreements were signed on March 9 between the Charge d’Affaires a.i. of Japan and representatives of the recipient organizations.
Aiming to ensure access to safe water and gender equality in education, the Japanese grant agreement for the Water and Sanitation Facilities Construction and Hygiene Education Intervention Project for Primary and Secondary Schools in the Mugu district of Nepal, valued at US$864,613, was signed and exchanged between Yuzo Yoshioka, Charge d’Affaires a.i. of Japan and Makiko Sato of Good Neighbors Japan (GNJ).
Extended to GNJ by GoJ under the Grant Assistance for Japanese NGO Projects Schemes, this grant aims to improve the water hygiene environment at public elementary and junior high schools across the Mugu district in Karnali province of Nepal.
The major activities of this project are the construction and repair of drinking water supply facilities and the construction of gender-friendly toilets. The project also aims to establish and strengthen water sanitation and hygiene school management committees and to provide menstrual hygiene management education.
A second project aims to enhance agricultural livelihoods by supporting the earthquake-affected communities of the Sindhupalchowk district in Bagmati province of Nepal for which a grant agreement was signed between Charge d’Affaires Yuzo and Ayaka Nakajima, Country Representative of the Japan Asian Association and Asian Friendship Society (JAFS).
This agreement, valued at US$ 453,124, aims to support the establishment of agricultural cooperatives to help farmers to collaborate with each other to add value to their products. JAFS will also provide opportunities to farmers to learn how to grow varieties of fruits and vegetables such as pineapples, lemons, and mangos.
The third grant agreement signed on March 9 involves a project for the improvement of newborn and child health in the Banke district of Lumbini province of Nepal. The project is valued at US$ 444,575 and the agreement was signed by Yozo Yoshioka and Yuka Onishi, Project Manager of the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Japan.
This grant will be used to repair and upgrade five health posts and one primary health care center in the district and install medical equipment at 48 health facilities including the Bheri Federal Hospital.
