H.E. Mr. Ichiro MARUYAMA, Ambassador of Japan to the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, and each representative of recipient organizations from Ayeyarwady Region and Mon State signed grant contracts for the following projects on 27 February 2019. The Government of Japan, under Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) Scheme, will provide a total of US $445,918 as follows:

1. The Project for Construction of Ma Yin Ku Village Bridge in Yegyi Township, Ayeyarwady Region (US $ 193,865);
2. The Project for Construction of Kyauk Mi Chaung (North) Village Basic Education Middle School in Ye Township, Mon State (US $ 79,205); and
3. The Project for Upgrading of Lel Kaing Village Road in Maubin Township, Ayeyarwady Region (US $ 172,848).

In Ma Yin Ku village, the bridge built by villagers in 1995 has been damaged by flood debris during the rainy season and vehicles are unable to transport goods and agricultural products. The current bridge does not have any handrails installed so residents face dangers of falling when crossing the bridge to access facilities such as schools and hospitals. In order to assist in improving the situation, the Government of Japan will provide funding for the construction of a 24-meter-long and 5.5-meter-wide reinforced concrete bridge and an approach road which will benefit 21,104 residents in 39 surrounding villages.

Kyauk Mi Chaung (North) Village Basic Education Middle School has been experiencing difficulties to accommodate the increasing number of students. As a result, students from KG to G6 study in the same space while students from G7 and G8 are placed in a temporary hut built with vinyl sheets and straw. In addition, the equipment of the facility such as desks and chairs are in poor condition. In order to provide an appropriate educational environment, the Government of Japan will provide assistance for construction of a one-storey reinforced concrete building with 3 classrooms and full furniture. The project will benefit 108 students and 11 faculty members in the school.

The Lel Kaing village road is an important access for the region to transport agricultural crops to large markets in Yangon. Moreover, the road is widely used by residents to access social services such as schools and hospitals. However, the road condition during rainy season becomes extremely difficult to pass. In order to tackle these issues, the Government of Japan will provide assistance for upgrading the 877 meter-long road and a 6.1 meter-long bridge which will benefit 25,000 local residents from 10 surrounding villages.

The Government of Japan has assisted 892 grass-roots projects in Myanmar under the GGP scheme since 1993, including 457 education projects, 200 healthcare projects, 140 public welfare and environment projects, 60 infrastructure projects and 35 others. This assistance is expected to further strengthen the existing friendly relations between Japan and Myanmar.