The Ambassador of Japan to Nepal Masashi Ogawa, inaugurated a training center today for women’s cooperatives in Belaka Municipality, Udayapur District along with Ambassador Ogawa, the former Minister of Urban Development Narayan Khadka, attended the ceremony.

The Government of Japan extended financial assistance of US Dollars 80,532 (NPR approximately 8.1 million) to the Nepal Social Development and People Empowerment Centre (NESPEC) under the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP).

This grant assistance supported the construction of the training center that will offer various types of trainings on vegetable farming, animal husbandry, bee keeping, and handicraft making. By taking these trainings, local female farmers are expected to gain additional skills to raise their incomes. The center is equipped with an accommodation facility for trainees coming from remote rural regions.

NESPEC has been working with local women in the district since 1997. This training center will be used by 600 members of the Small Farmer Women Agriculture Cooperative Society, one of NESPEC’s partners. The cooperative provides small loans and rents out agricultural tools for use by female farmers.

“The Embassy of Japan hopes that the new training center will contribute towards enhancing the income generation skills and productivity of women in rural areas. Through the implementation of the project, we also hope to enhance bilateral friendship between Japan and Nepal,” said a press release issued by Embassy of Japan.