The Government of Japan has decided to provide grant assistance up to USD 300,800 (equivalent to around PKR 84 million) in total to five local NGOs for development projects in Pakistan. Three out of the five projects are flood rehabilitation projects in the areas affected by the 2022 Pakistan floods. The grant contracts were signed between His Excellency, Mr. WADA Mitsuhiro, Ambassador of Japan to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and representatives of the five NGOs at the Embassy of Japan in Islamabad on March 5, 2024. The five NGOs that will implement the projects are (1) Association for Behavior & Knowledge Transformation (ABKT), (2) Fortified Services for Reforms & Transformation (FSRT), (3) Actions For Human Advancement (AHAT), (4) Lok Sudhar Association and (5) Safe Hands Foundation. ABKT will receive a USD 63,518 grant (equivalent to around PKR 17.7million) to reconstruct three flood-damaged suspension bridges in District Upper Dir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This project will enhance the security of school children and local community members when natural disasters such as flood occur.

It will also provide a safe passage to the school children as well as the local people to reach their school safely in this area. FSRT will receive a USD 60,506 grant (equivalent to around PKR 16.8million) to reconstruct flood-affected school building for girls’ primary course in Malakand Division, District Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This project will provide school children with a safe place for learning, resulting in improving overall literacy rate of Swat, a city with one of the lowest literacy rates in Pakistan. AHAT will receive a USD 57,684 grant (equivalent to around PKR 16million) to reconstruct a flood-affected primary and middle school in Tehsil Jampur, District Rajanpur, Punjab. This project will enhance learning environment for the children in one of the most flood-affected areas during the 2022 floods in Pakistan. Lok Sudhar Association will receive a USD 51,407 grant (equivalent to around PKR 14.3 million) to establish an ophthalmology operation theater to expand eye care facility in Havelian, District Abbottabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

This facility will provide eye-related treatment to the patients in accessible and affordable way. In particular, the people will have the opportunity to access to cataract surgery for the first time in this locality. This project will lead to the improvement of the health sector in the area. Safe Hands Foundation will receive a USD 67,685 grant (equivalent to around PKR 19million) to construct the primary-school building to promote child education in village Khaisata Gul Kalay, District Khyber in KP. The project will provide, in one of the most deserving and vulnerable areas, the school building equipped with a solar system that can accommodate about 200 primary school children including those currently studying in an open-air classroom. At the signing ceremony, His Excellency, Mr. WADA Mitsuhiro expressed his expectation that these development projects in cooperation with local communities would have a positive impact on uplifting the living standards of Pakistani people at the grassroots level. The Government of Japan will provide further flexible and timely support to local NGOs through grant assistance to improve the social wellbeing of the people of Pakistan at the grassroots level.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)