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Embassy of Japan Press Release
19 March 2013
Japan Funds Education, Health and Environment projects
H.E. Kazuo Minagawa, Ambassador of Japan to Uganda, will sign today, at the Embassy of Japan, the grant contracts totalling some 1.6 Billion shillings (US$ 631,494) with the representatives of seven grass-roots organizations for education, health and environment projects.
In the education sector, St. Teresa Girl’s Secondary School in Alebtong district will receive US$ 50,658 for installation of solar-powered electric facilities. The school promotes girls’ education as the only boarding secondary school in Abako sub-county. However, there is no stable electricity available in the area, thus putting the students in a difficult situation for their studies and living. This project will install solar panels and related electric facilities, thus improving education and living conditions benefiting 366 students of the school.
Alito Secondary School in Kole district will receive US$ 121,898 for construction of a science laboratory. Though the three science subjects (physics, chemistry, biological) became compulsory subject in secondary education in 2007, the students do not have a chance to learn with practical observation and experiment in the three science subjects. As a result, many of the students fail to finish the basic curriculum appropriately, thus creating widespread education gap in the region. This project will construct a science laboratory block, and thus improve the environment of basic education for 464 students in the school.
In the health sector, Omoro Health Centre III and Amugu Health Centre III in Alebtong district will receive US$ 108,853 in total for purchase of solar equipment. These two health centres are the only health centres in Omoro and Amugu sub-counties respectively, which provide medical services for the community 24 hours. However, as the sub-counties lack electricity, the centres are faced with many problems in lighting and sterilization of medical equipment. As a result, the patients have difficulties in having safe and quality medical services. The project will install solar panels and related electric facilities, thus improving the medical services at the centres, benefiting more than 14,000 people in the community.
Missionaries of the Poor in Kampala district will receive US$ 123,000 for purchase of an ambulance and a 30-seat utility bus. “Missionaries of the Poor” is a home for homeless men, women and children who are either mentally or physically handicapped, HIV/AIDS affected or refugee children. Besides, the home provides free medical care and offers education to the children and youth. Due to the limited transport, however, the patients in need of urgent treatment or operation as well as handicapped children have difficulties in access to hospitals and schools. Through this project, an ambulance and a utility bus will be procured to improve access for over 200 vulnerable children to schools and over 960 patients to hospital from the home.
Kalongo Hospital will receive US$ 110,618 for construction of an operation theatre building. Kalongo Hospital is situated in Agago District in Northern Uganda where it was heavily inflicted by LRA insurgencies over the 20 years with around 2 million IDPs created and social service delivery destructed. Kalongo Hospital is the only hospital which provides operation services for the population of Agago and Pader Districts. However, the current theatre building is very old and has no enough space for providing operation services to the patients in hygienic and safe environment. The project will construct a new operation theatre building, benefiting some 2,400 patients and 400 expectant mothers.
In the environment sector, Mubende Town Council will receive US$ 116,467 for construction of a garbage composting plant. Mubende Town is a main stopping point on the highway that links Kenya and Democratic Republic of Congo. Many transport vehicles pass by this town and, as the town is also a big market place for the region, the daytime population rises up to as high as 160,000 and 60 tonnes of garbage is discharged every day. However, the garbage dump site is now saturated with accumulated garbage due to the current garbage processing method to dump all kinds of garbage and burn the combustibles, leaving the non-combustible accumulated on the site. As a result, in Mubende Town itself, uncollected garbage is now being accumulated, exposing the people to high health risks. The project will construct a compost site which will enable Mubende Town to process garbage in a more efficient and effective way, and thus improve the sanitary condition of 160,000 people in the town.
The donations above are part of the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects, a scheme administered by the Japanese Embassy to support community-based development projects in Uganda.
Japan, steadily promoting ownership of and partnership with African countries through Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) process, is committed to boosting economic growth, achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and consolidation of peace and good governance in Africa.
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The grant contract signing ceremony will take place at the Conference Room (2nd Floor), Embassy of Japan, Kyadondo Road, Nakasero, Kampara, starting at 11:00am, on 19th March 2013.
Your media house is kindly invited to cover this function.
If you would like further information on the beneficiaries and other project details, we would be happy to provide further information. Thank you.
Contact:
Ms. Kikome Yunia (Public Affairs Section): yunia.masembe@kp.mofa.go.jp
Ms. Yuki Tanaka (GGP Section) : tanaka.yuki@kp.mofa.go.jp
Embassy of Japan in Uganda: http://www.ug.emb-japan.go.jp/
P. O. Box 23553, Kampala / Tel: 0414-349542/3/4, 0312-261564/5/6
The Project for Installation of Electric Facilities at St. Teresa Girl’s Secondary School