ISLAMABAD, DEC 03 (DNA) – The Government of Japan has decided to extend financial support totalling US $ 254,889 to three Pakistani NGOs, Sangtani Women Rural Development Organization, Saint Raphael’s Hospital and Learning Awareness and Motivation Programme (LAMP) for the implementation of social development projects for disadvantaged communities of the country,. The agreements for the three projects were signed on 3rd December 2015, at the Japanese Ambassador’s residence in Islamabad, between Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan H.E. Mr. Hiroshi Inomata and the heads of the three organizations.

NGO Sangtani Women Rural Development Organization will utilize its grant of US $ 80,217 for the installation of 9 water filtration plants in rural areas of UC Fatehpur (Tehsil & District Rajanpur) which are suffering from high prevalence water borne diseases due to the unavailability of safe drinking water.
The NGO has been actively working for the promotion of human rights, quality education, WASH, health services and rehabilitation of marginalized and poor families in the rural areas of Punjab and Sindh since 1997.
Aligning with its goals this project will help the NGO in improving access of the 3,360 community members of the UC to safe and clean drinking water, and will contribute in prevention of water borne diseases in the target area.
The grant of US $ 83,960 awarded to St. Raphael’s Hospital in Faisalabad (Punjab), which is primarily a maternity hospital and a Midwifery Training School, will help improve medical services of the hospital.
Previously, in 2012 the Government of Japan extended financial support worth US$ 123,000 to the Hospital for construction of a two floor Outdoor Patient’s Department (OPD) which now benefits many underprivileged families.
The current grant will further enable improvement of medical facilities of the hospital. The installation of equipment, including x-ray and ultrasound machines, is expected to not only improve the quality of services but also promote natural child delivery in the target area.
With financial assistance provided from Government of Japan since 1996, the organization LAMP has been a key contributor in promoting child education, primarily focusing on promotion of education for females, and has launched several safe drinking water schemes in the tribal areas of Pakistan.
With this collaboration of almost two decades the NGO has received US $1,163,577 till date for various school construction and safe drinking water projects. Cognizant to this the organization has now been awarded US $ 90,712 for expansion of a primary school for girls’ and boys’ which is located in Raziq Kalay, Khyber Agency, FATA. The new building is expected to benefit and provide a conducive environment to more than 300 students.
At the signing ceremony, Ambassador Inomata stressed the importance of improving access to health, education and water facilities particularly in rural areas of the country. He expressed his hope that the projects signed today will contribute to Pakistan’s goal of eliminating rural and urban disparities in term of essential facilities which in turn can contribute to sustainable local development. In doing so, these projects would certainly strengthen the friendly relations between the people of Japan and Pakistan.
Government of Japan provided US $ 1.7 million in total to Pakistani NGOs in the last Japanese Fiscal Year (April 2014 – March 2015) under the GGP program. More projects for this year are in pipeline to get assistance from the Government of Japan.=DNA
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