The Ambassador of Japan to Nepal Masashi Ogawa signed a grant contract for US$ 240,895.00 (approximately 24 million NRs.) with Ayaka Ishikawa, Project Coordinator, Peace Winds Japan in Nepal for improving water access in Sindhupalchowk District.

The support was made under the Grant Assistance for Japanese NGO Projects Scheme for FY 2017, and will be implemented by Peace Winds Japan (PWJ), an international NGO based in Hiroshima. PWJ will work with a Nepali partner NGO, the Institution for Suitable Actions for Prosperity (ISAP).

The grant assistance will be used to rehabilitate water supply facilities in Sunkoshi Municipality of Sindhupalchowk that were affected by the earthquakes in 2015. The project aims to improve access to water for people affected by the earthquakes and to contribute towards the overall reconstruction efforts underway in the country.

The project will work, with community consensus, to build or repair water supply schemes through the Participatory Approach to Rehabilitation of Community Infrastructure (PARCI) approach. This approach provides guidelines for communities to understand each other’s needs, prioritize reconstruction, mobilize resources, request assistance, and lead the reconstruction process.

After reaching a consensus, the project will build water supply facilities through agreements with the Construction Committee (CC), with technical support from ISAP/PWJ. The project will also support Water User Committees to help create maintenance funds and train maintenance technicians in local communities to ensure sustainable use of the infrastructure built by the project.

Upon completion, the ownership of water supply schemes will be handed over to the respective communities, after which, Peace Winds Japan and the ISAP team will monitor the situation and provide advice as needed.

The Embassy of Japan in Nepal expects that the project will contribute to improve water access for the local communities in Sindhupalchowk and also revitalize the reconstruction efforts in that district. The embassy also hopes that the project will enhance the friendly relationship between the peoples of Japan and Nepal.