Japan gives grant to seven organizations

Japan gives grant to seven organizations

JAKARTA (JP): Japan agreed on Friday to extend a total of Rp
2.4 billion (US$287,753) in grants to seven grassroots
organizations in Indonesia.

Japan Ambassador to Indonesia Takao Kawakami, who signed the
contracts with representatives of the organizations at the
embassy on Friday, said relations between the two countries have
strengthened since the economic crisis hit Asia in 1997.

Underlining the importance of Indonesia's stability to the
Asia region, the ambassador said: "Our government is concerned in
helping Indonesian poor who were impacted by the economic
crisis."

Japan last year extended a total of Rp 10 billion ($120.5
million) of grants to fund 22 grassroots projects.

The new grants were extended for a rural electrification
project in Bengkulu handled by KUD Harapan cooperative; equipment
procurement for the Biak Technical Academy in Irian Jaya;
equipment procurement for the Biak Tourism Academy; procurement
for a traditional medicine research institute in South Sumatra;
milk and baby food procurement for a program handled by the
Indonesian Women Catholics; development of a wood vocational
training center in Ciamis, West Java, by Bakti Mulia Foundation;
and a tourism vocational training program for the physically
disabled handled by the Community-Based Rehabilitation
Development and Training Center.(02)