SUM MANET
The Japanese government on Friday agreed to provide a total of $330,269 to four local provincial bodies under its grant assistance for grassroots projects, or Kusanone program.
According to a press statement released by the Japanese embassy on Friday, the grant contracts were signed between Japanese Ambassador Horinouchi Hidehisa and representatives of the recipients.
Introduced in 1989, the Kusanone program is a non-repayable financial assistance to hospitals, primary schools, research institutes, non-governmental organizations and other non-commercial organizations to provide support for their development projects.
Japan’s Kusanone projects started in Cambodia in 1991 in order to support the Kingdom’s reconstruction and development at the grassroots level. The assistance aims to protect vulnerable people from poverty and other misfortunes that directly threaten their lives, livelihood, and dignity, as well as to promote self-reliance of local communities.
Since 1991, Japan has provided over $55 million for local authorities and non-governmental organizations to implement 562 Kusanone projects throughout Cambodia.
In this year’s grant allocation, the Banteay Meanchey provincial health department received a total of $82,145 for constructing an obstetrics and pediatrics ward at the province’s Phnum Srok Referral Hospital.
“It is estimated that this assistance will enable 360 women and 1,900 children to have access to better medical services,” said the Japanese embassy.
The Kusanone program also allocated $82,524 to the Kampong Cham provincial water resources department’s Veal Sdoav irrigation rehabilitation project.
“Through this project, a 480-meter-wide dam, a 1,450-meter-long access road and two water gate structures will be rehabilitated. Four culverts will be newly constructed to expand irrigated areas in Stueng Trang District, in Kampong Cham province,” said the embassy’s press statement.
“Around 3,500 people are expected to gain constant access to irrigation water after completion of the project,” it added.
In Stung Treng province, the Kusanone program allocated $83,000 to the provincial agriculture department to construct agricultural cooperative centers.
“In this project, three agricultural cooperative centers will be built for three respective agricultural cooperatives. Agricultural machines such as two-wheel tractors, rice threshing machines, a soybean threshing machine, cassava chippers and a rice bed dryer will be provided,” said the press statement.
“Around 800 people are expected to benefit from the activities of the agricultural cooperatives,” it said.
In the western province of Pailin bordering Thailand, a good road network is essential for people in remote villages to get access to hospitals, health centers, schools and markets.
Taking this into consideration, the Kusanone program allocated $82,600 to the Pailin provincial public works department to improve the main road from Pailin city to Pang Rolim village in O’tavao commune.
“Through this assistance, two triple-cell culverts will be installed for road improvement. This project is expected to benefit nearly 4,300 people in the area,” said the Japanese embassy.
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