PHNOM PENH: The Government of Japan has provided a total of US $1,093,818 to two recipients under a grant scheme for a Japanese NGO project, while a grant agreement was signed on Wednesday, 9 March 2022, between the Japanese Ambassador to Cambodia, Mikami Masahiro, and the representatives of both recipients.

Ambassador Mikami Masahiro said at the signing ceremony that the first project is the Youth Capacity Building Project in Pailin Province through the Strengthening of the Third Year Community Learning Center, which will receive a grant of US $445,994 with Kokkyo naki Kodomotachi (Children Without Borders - KnK) as the implementer. In this project, Knk will continue to support young people, especially those who suffer from unstable work, a lack of life skills and have dropped out of school. For the third year of the project, two new community learning centers will be built, and four community learning centers (including two which are newly built), will be equipped with study materials. By providing better vocational training as well as close support to young people, they can acquire skills that help them lay the foundation for a better life in the future.

The Japanese Ambassador said that the second project is a joint project on health, nutrition, water and sanitation in Preah Vihear province, in its third year of the budget of US $647,824 dollars provided to World Vision Japan (WVJ). In this project, WVJ will continue to provide training and awareness raising on health, nutrition and WASH (water and sanitation) to health and rural development officials and communities in Preah Vihear province. These ongoing activities from the first year of the project will contribute to improving the overall situation of safe feeding and water practices in Preah Vihear province and help children grow up healthy and stronger than before.

The KUSANONE grant assistance program started in Cambodia in 2002, to support the activities of Japanese NGOs in the country working to help develop and rebuild Cambodia from the grassroots level. Since 2002, the Government of Japan has provided more than US $48 million for 145 projects focusing on primary education, health, agriculture and demining activities in Cambodia.