ISLAMABAD - The Japanese government has decided to extend financial support totalling $171,920 (approximately Rs17 million) to two Pakistani NGOs, Learning Awareness and Motivation Program (LAMP, $101,260) and True Worth Foundation ($70,660) for the improvement of educational and health facilities in disadvantaged areas of the country.
According to Japanese Embassy, the agreements for the two projects were signed on Thursday at the Japanese ambassador's residence in Islamabad between Hiroshi Inomata, Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan and the heads of the two organisations.
The grant to LAMP will be utilised for the construction of a primary school in Village Lashora of the Khyber Agency (FATA). It is expected that more than 170 students who are currently studying in open-air classes would be able to learn in a newly built school building.
The grant to True Worth Foundation on the other hand will be utilised for the improvement of the organisation's health centre in Chatta Bakhtawar, Islamabad, including the provision of an ambulance, establishment of a laboratory and the general upgrading of facilities. It is estimated that approximately 5,400 people from the underdeveloped outskirts of Islamabad will benefit from this project every year.
At the signing ceremony, Ambassador Inomata remarked that Japan's Official Development Assistance Programme to Pakistan confers a high priority to the improvement of educational and health facilities in the country.
He expressed his hope that these interventions would contribute to Pakistan's goals of providing equal opportunities for good quality education as well as improving access to healthcare facilities and in doing so would certainly strengthen the friendly relations between the people of Japan and Pakistan.