Japan extends grants to NGOs in South India

Chennai, Dec 12: The Japanese Government has extended grants to two NGOs in South India for their projects to uplift the lives of the disadvantaged.

The grant contracts were signed between Japanese Consul General Yoshiaki Kodaki and representatives of Bangalore-based SAMUHA and Madurai-based NANBAN in Chennai yesterday.

The Japanese Grant, formally called the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Projects (GGP), is an official assistance scheme funded by the Government of Japan.

The mission of GGP is to encourage initiative, participation and ownership of the local community in sustainable self-help efforts in improving their socio-economic situation.

A grant of US dollar 88,433 had been sanctioned to SAMUHA for its project to construct a community resource centre for the disadvantaged in Koppal district in Karnataka. The NGO had been working with people with disabilities and other socially vulnerable people in the district.

The other grant of US dollar 81,028 would go to NANBAN, which was running an automobile workshop in Madurai. The NGP accepts street youth at its workshop to give them counselling, basic education and vocational training.

The grant would be utilised to upgrade the present facilities of the workshop.

Both NGOs would start procurement and construction work immediately, which would be completed in a year. About 1,000 people with disabilities, farmers and other community members would benefit from SAMUHA's service at the resource centre, while more than 200 youths would be trained at NANBAN's workshop.

UNI

Related Stories