Ambassador of Japan to Nepal, Mr. Masashi Ogawa, signed a grant contract today to construct a rehabilitation center for visually impaired people in Gorkha District.

The agreement was signed between the Embassy of Japan and Mr. Jivan Kumar Basnet, President of the Gorkha Association of the Blind, a Nepalese NGO.

The Project for Construction of a Rehabilitation Center for the Blind in Gorkha District is funded under the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) of the Government of Japan. The grant assistance amounts to USD 85,315 (approximately NPR 8.8 million).

The grant will support the construction of a two-storey rehabilitation center that will also serve as a care home. The Gorkha Association of the Blind provides various trainings and rehabilitation programs in close coordination with the Gorkha Municipality, hospitals, and communities. In addition, the Center will be equipped with two rooms for those who need the care of specialized caretakers. Specialized caretakers will attend those users who do not have family members to take care of them. 

The Gorkha Association of the Blind is a branch organization of the Nepal Association of the Blind. It provides vocational training and counselling to visually impaired people in order that they can pursue an independent life and develop their capacities.

The Embassy of Japan believes this project will contribute towards increasing opportunities for visually impaired people in Gorkha District and the surrounding areas to participate in socio-economic activities. The Embassy also believes the project can further enhance the bilateral relationship between Japan and Nepal.