H.E. Mr. Tateshi HIGUCHI, Ambassador of Japan to Myanmar, and Chairpersons of the Construction Committees from Ayeyarwaddy Region signed the grant contracts for four projects today. Under these contracts, Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) Scheme will provide a total of US$ 638,065 as follows:
1. The Project for Upgrading of Road between Yae Nauk Village and Nyaung Waing Village in Yegyi Township, Ayeyarwady Region (USD 189,876);
2. The Project for Upgrading of 2 Roads for Ta Ma Lo Village and Tar Pat Village (West) in Maubin Township, Ayeyarwady Region (USD 111,857);
3. The Project for Construction of Kone Pyin Village Bridge in Yegyi Township, Ayeyarwady Region (USD 178,535); and
4. The Project for Upgrading of Road between Myauk San Village and Yae San Village in Yegyi Township, Ayeyarwady Region (USD 157,797).

As the current earthen road between Yae Nauk Village and Nyaung Waing Village becomes muddy during the rainy season, the villagers have been struggling to transport their agricultural products and transfer patients to hospital. Moreover, the students have to walk 4 hours to attend the high school, which is located 4.5km away from the farthest village. Consequently, half of middle-school students give up attending the high school. In order to tackle these challenges, the Government of Japan will support upgrading of the 4.2-kilometer-long road, one Reinforced Concrete Construction (R.C.C.) bridge and 13 culverts. The project will benefit 1,593 local residents of 8 surrounding villages.

The 2 roads located in Tamalo Village and Tar Pet Village (West) connect to the highway to Maubin town. By using these roads, the villagers have been transporting their agricultural products, transferring patients to hospital and sending students to high schools in the nearest village. However, during the rainy season, these roads become muddy and some emergency patients died due to the late treatment. In order to tackle these issues, the Government of Japan will support upgrading of the 585-meter-long R.C.C. road, one R.C.C. bridge and 2 culverts for Tamalo Village and the 827-meter-long R.C.C. road for Tar Pet Village (West). The project will benefit 6,650 local residents of 12 surrounding villages.

Although the old suspention bridge in Kone Pyin village has been gradually deteriorated, it has been heavily used by 440 motorbikes, 600 bicycles and 2,000 pedistrians including 743 students daily. As the bridge is not passable for cars, the villagers have to transfer emergency patients to hospital in the nearest town by taking 6 miles by a roundabout route. In order to address this challenge, the Government of Japan will support the construction of a 49-meter-long, 5.5-meter-wide R.C.C. bridge with an approach road. The project will benefit 16,227 residents of 41 surrounding villages.

The current earthen road between Myauk San Village and Yae San Village connects to the highway to Pathein town. Using this road, the villagers have been transporting their agricultural products, transferring patients to hospital and sending students to the high school in the nearest town. However, during the rainy season, the road becomes muddy and villagers have to go to sell their agricultural products on foot. As a consequence, the villagers are facing a serious decrease in income since they fail to keep them fresh and sell them much less than the expected price. In order to tackle these issues, the Government of Japan will support upgrading of the 2.5-kilometer-long road, 2 R.C.C. bridges and 8 culverts. The project will benefit 964 local residents of 3 surrounding villages.

The Government of Japan has assisted 814 various grass-roots projects in Myanmar under the GGP scheme since 1993: the number consists of 400 education projects, 198 healthcare projects, 138 public welfare and environment projects, 43 infrastructure projects and 35 other projects. It is anticipated that these assistances will further strengthen the existing friendly relations between Japan and Myanmar.