Helping hand: Japan pledges Rs27 million for social development

Funds given to three NGOs will be used for special children, water project, skills training.

ISLAMABAD: The government of Japan has agreed to fund three social development projects worth $261,980 (Rs27.42 million). The projects will be implemented by Pakistani NGOs Beer Development Society (BDS), National Integrated Development Association (NIDA), and Tanzeem-al-Lissan (TL).

Agreements were signed in Islamabad on Thursday, with Japanese Embassy Chargé d’ Affaires Junya Matsuura and the heads of the three organisations putting pen to paper.

Beer Development Society will utilise its grant of $81,171 (Rs8.5 million) for the installation of water filtration plants and paving roads in Beer Union Council (UC), Haripur District. The project is expected to provide safe drinking water to approximately 6,190 people in six villages; while the paved roads would benefit 3,768 individuals in three villages in the same district.

NIDA will use its grant of $83,450 (Rs8.73 million) to build a vocational training centre for women in UC Shamozai, Katlan Tehsil, Mardan District. Once completed, the centre would offer skill training in embroidery and tailoring.

The $97,359 (Rs10.19 million) grant awarded to TL will be used to extend facilities at Faisalabad’s Al-Masoom Centre, which provides services for intellectually, developmentally, and physically-challenged children. The NGO was previously provided $122,833 (Rs12.86 million) by Japan in January 2013 for the construction of a new block to support 260 children. The current grant adds another block which would accommodate nearly 200 special children.

At the signing ceremony, Matsuura expressed the commitment of the government of Japan to help the under-privileged. He further assured continuous support for water facilities, skills training, and special education, while expressing hope that the projects would strengthen the already-friendly relations between Japan and Pakistan.

Japan has provided $430,032 (Rs45 million) in grants to Pakistani NGOs in the current Japanese Fiscal Year (April 2015 – March 2016) under its The Grant Assistance for Grass-Roots Human Security Projects programme.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 18^th, 2016.