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The Japanese Government under its Grassroots Grant Assistance Scheme ( GGA ) granted totally US$151,646 for two humanitarian assistance programs in Thai-Myanmar border areas.
Mr. Tetsuro AMANO, Deputy Chief of Mission , Embassy of Japan to the Union of Myanmar, and each representative of the recipient organizations signed the grant contracts on 1 st June 2007 .
1. ‘The Project for Construction of Water Supply System, in Mobye Village Tracts in Shan State '
Mobye Village Tracts are situated in the most southern part of Shan State , adjoining Kayah State , and are the central parts of Kayah Special Region No.1 where Kayan National Guard (KNG) has partial autonomy. KNG fought against Tamadaw since the Myanmar independence, and made peace with the government in 1992. But because of long-lasting war, that area is one of the least developed regions in Shan State .
At present, Mobye Village Tracts have a population of 10,000. There are only ten wells in the area and the people are forced to draw water off a near-running Baluchaung river. The quality of water is not safe for drinking and to draw it off the river every day is a heavy burden for women and children.
Given these situations, Mobye Village Tracts Water Supply Committee, the recipient organization consisting of the local residents, launched a water supply project to improve the water situation there. However, due to lack of financial resource, the project got stalled and the Committee applied to the Japanese Government's GGA Scheme to obtain financial support for completion of the project.
Taking into consideration the dire water situation and the importance of improving the lives of ethnic minorities who made peace with the government and returned to legal fold, the Japanese Government decided to fund the project under GGA Scheme.
It is expected that GGA assistance will greatly help to improve the water situation in Mobye village Tracts and the residents will be able to have access to safe water without taking great pains.
2. ‘The Project of Construction of Kayah Phu Charity Orphanage in Loikaw in Kayah State '
In Kayah state, the border area with Thailand , there had been long history of fighting between armed ethnic groups and Tamadaw since the Myanmar 's independence in 1948. Therefore, Kayah state is one of the least developed area in Myanmar . In addition, there are many orphans who lost their parents because of war. There are not enough orphanages in Kayah State and Kayah Phu Charity Orphanage is one of those precious institutions.
The boarding house of the orphanage has become old, and there are no walls between male and female bedrooms, both males and females share common restrooms and shower-rooms, and available space for each child is really limited. Therefore, it can't be considered as an appropriate living circumstance any more.
Given those situations, the Kayah Phu Charity Orphanage Boarding House Construction Committee, the recipient organization consisting of volunteers who have supported the orphanage and offered temporally residence to the orphans who are waiting to enter the orphanage, made a renovation plan of the boarding house. Nevertheless they failed due to lack of financial resource, so they decided to apply to the Japanese Government's GGA Scheme for the funding of its program. GGA Scheme has been well-known in Kayah State for its previous projects such as school building construction and medical equipment provision.
Since providing an appropriate living condition is really important for children and the recipient organization has made sincere effort for the welfare of orphans, the Japanese Government decided to fund the project under GGA Scheme.
It is hoped that GGA assistance can improve the living conditions of orphans considerably while helping them to have sound mind and sound body.
The Japanese Government put its emphasis on the development of the poor border areas where both Burmese and various ethic minorities inhabit. These two humanitarian programs are aiming at enhancing the quality of life of the people and leading to the overall development in those areas in future.
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