Press release

The Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan inaugurates Installation of Water Filtration Plants in District Okara, Punjab completed with financial assistance from the Government of Japan

Islamabad: 23rd May 2016

PRESS RELEASE N0: JPNEMPAK 16-22

H.E. Mr. Takashi Kurai, Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan, inaugurated a project for installation of 6 water filtration plants in District Okara (Punjab) which was completed with the financial support of US$ 82,282 provided by the Government of Japan to Ameer Begum Welfare Trust - a non-governmental organization actively working in the education sector. The inauguration ceremony was attended by members of NGO, and community members from the vicinity who are benefiting from the facilities. The installation of these water filtration plants was made possible with the financial support from Embassy of Japan under its Grant Assistance for Grass-Roots Human Security Projects (GGP) Program.

Before this initiative, the target population of Thesil Depalpur was suffering from a shortage of clean water, especially during the summer season. This had an adverse effect on the community, particularly in terms of health as evident by a high prevalence of waterborne diseases in the area. With the provision of safe drinking water through installation of water filtration plants, the project is now benefiting 6,755 households (approximately 50,500 individuals) 6 villages of Tehsil Depalpur in District Okara.

At the inauguration ceremony, Ambassador Kurai emphasized the urgent need of improving access to safe drinking water, particularly in rural areas of the country. He also expressed his sincere hope, representing the people of Japan, that this project will contribute to the improvement of basic conditions of life, alleviation of poverty and, further, to the sustainable growth of local economy as a whole.

Note: The GGP Program is an initiative of the Japanese government with the belief that in consideration of the enormity of the challenges being faced by the world today, development assistance should not only be limited to governments, but also be channeled to the grassroots level through civil society organizations. Since it began in 1989, the Embassy of Japan in Pakistan has supported more than 350 projects under the GGP Programme, with a contribution of more than 2.4 billion Japanese Yen.
<http://www.pk.emb-japan.go.jp/JapanPakistanRelations/GrantAssistance-new.html>