Japan is still number one donor: Envoy

• Funds Rs. 28 m for redevelopment of school in Mullaitivu in partnership with Save the Children International Foundation

Japanese Ambassador Nobuhito Hobo and Save the Children International Country Director William Lynch after the signing of the agreement – Pic by Upul Abayasekara

By Jayashika Padmasiri Japan is still the number one donor in terms of criteria and strategies concerning Sri Lanka more than any other nation, the Asian giant’s Ambassador Nubuhito Hobo said yesterday. He made this remark during the signing of a grant contract between the Government of Japan and the Save the Children International Foundation to support a needy school in the north. In response to a question posed by the media concerning other countries leading in relations with Sri Lanka, the Japanese Ambassador said that Japan still holds the number one position as the ‘criteria donor’ of Sri Lanka. Japan yesterday signed the contract to construct a suitable school building for the Udaiyarkaddu School in Mullaitivu. The Government of Japan decided to provide a grant aid of $ 215,866 (Rs. 28 million) for the construction of this school building in Mullaitivu District under its Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) to Save the Children International, which is implementing this project in Mullaitivu DS division in Mullaitivu District. Speaking to the media about this project, Ambassador Hobo yesterday said that the project aimed to improve the educational conditions of the resettled community in the Mullaitivu District. “The end of the 30-year conflict in Sri Lanka marked commencement of a period of promise, which needs to be translated into tangible new opportunities for the most vulnerable children and their families. Recovery efforts, including improving local infrastructure and expanding educational opportunities, are critical for the future of the newly-returned population. The Government of Japan remains to attach importance in supporting a facelift to basic educational infrastructure of the region so that they can restore their livelihood and educational activities. This project will help families to send their children to schools and to provide students with a decent learning environment and offer them a better future,” Hobo said. Speaking further, he also pointed out that the Government of Japan has been offering a wide-ranging assistance towards reconciliation and rehabilitation of conflict affected regions in Sri Lanka, which includes creating a mine-free environment, boosting the education sector and developments in many other sectors of the country. Speaking about the grant contract, Save the Children International Country Director William Lynch stated that it was a wonderful opportunity to partner with the people and Government of Japan to make a real difference in the lives of children for many years to come and that they were grateful to work with the Embassy of Japan.