Myanmar gets US$ 22-million ADB grant from Japan for rural livelihoods, HIV prevention
Myanmar gets US$ 22-million ADB grant from Japan for rural livelihoods, HIV prevention
Eleven Newsmedia, 17 Feb 2014
URL: http://www.elevenmyanmar.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5085:myanmar-gets-us-22-million-adb-grant-from-japan-for-rural-livelihoods-h
The Myanmar government and the Asian Development Bank have signed two grant agreements worth US$ 22 million (Ks 2.17 billion), financed by the Japan government, to help reduce rural poverty and expand HIV/AIDS services to vulnerable groups and into remote areas.
The programmes will be provided through the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction (JFPR), the bank said. According to the ADB, the $12 million livelihoods grant will benefit at least 700,000 people in villages in the Ayeyarwady Delta, the central dry zone, Tanintharyi Region, and Shan State, where some rural communities face poverty rates more than double the urban level.
The US$ 10-million HIV/AIDS JFPR grant will increase access and quality to health and HIV/AIDS services, along fast developing economic corridors in Mon, Kayin, and Shan states, where new opportunities are attracting migrant workers and mobile populations. In these underserved areas, these mobile populations as well as local communities are at increased risk of communicable diseases, including HIV/AIDS.
“The livelihoods grant will help communities develop viable new income opportunities needed to end the vicious cycle of rural poverty,” said Putu Kamayana, the bank’s Myanmar Country head, adding that the HIV/AIDS assistance will strengthen treatment and prevention of the disease, in collaboration with non-governmental organisations.
The project aims to improve village infrastructure such as roads, jetties, water and irrigation facilities, schools and community health centres. It also aims to create more job opportunities in areas such as fish, shrimp and pearl farming, livestock husbandry, and production of cash crops, including garlic and chilies. The project also provides English language training courses which can help communities to take advantage of the country’s fast-growing tourism market.
“This funding will build 47 rural health centres and sub-health centres, refurbish three township hospitals, supply medical equipment and training, and lead to better access to basic health services for some of the country’s most vulnerable people,” said Kazuhiko Koguchi, ADB’s executive director for Japan.
Besides these two grants, the ADB Board will approve the third project soon—probably at the end of this month, Koguchi said.
The development lender’s Myanmar head confirmed that ADB is consulting with local and international civil society organisations, private sector representatives, development partners, and other key stakeholders to see how best ADB can take into account the views of local communities in preparing and implementing its projects.
The programmes will be provided through the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction (JFPR), the bank said. According to the ADB, the $12 million livelihoods grant will benefit at least 700,000 people in villages in the Ayeyarwady Delta, the central dry zone, Tanintharyi Region, and Shan State, where some rural communities face poverty rates more than double the urban level.
The US$ 10-million HIV/AIDS JFPR grant will increase access and quality to health and HIV/AIDS services, along fast developing economic corridors in Mon, Kayin, and Shan states, where new opportunities are attracting migrant workers and mobile populations. In these underserved areas, these mobile populations as well as local communities are at increased risk of communicable diseases, including HIV/AIDS.
“The livelihoods grant will help communities develop viable new income opportunities needed to end the vicious cycle of rural poverty,” said Putu Kamayana, the bank’s Myanmar Country head, adding that the HIV/AIDS assistance will strengthen treatment and prevention of the disease, in collaboration with non-governmental organisations.
The project aims to improve village infrastructure such as roads, jetties, water and irrigation facilities, schools and community health centres. It also aims to create more job opportunities in areas such as fish, shrimp and pearl farming, livestock husbandry, and production of cash crops, including garlic and chilies. The project also provides English language training courses which can help communities to take advantage of the country’s fast-growing tourism market.
“This funding will build 47 rural health centres and sub-health centres, refurbish three township hospitals, supply medical equipment and training, and lead to better access to basic health services for some of the country’s most vulnerable people,” said Kazuhiko Koguchi, ADB’s executive director for Japan.
Besides these two grants, the ADB Board will approve the third project soon—probably at the end of this month, Koguchi said.
The development lender’s Myanmar head confirmed that ADB is consulting with local and international civil society organisations, private sector representatives, development partners, and other key stakeholders to see how best ADB can take into account the views of local communities in preparing and implementing its projects.