The Government of Japan’s grant assistance towards the construction of a pre-school at Hunhukwe village in Northern Kgalagadi will according to Council Chairman Justice Nkwane not only nurture readiness for school in children but is also an opportunity to open the isolated village to development. The grant contract was concluded and signed between the Ambassador of Japan, H.E. Masahiro Onishi and Joseph Kgabanyane, Senior Assistant Council Secretary of Hukuntsi Sub District Council, at the Japan Embassy yesterday. The assistance follows the recent up-skilling of the councils by Barclays Botswana. Nkwane in that regard indicated tourism and leather work as potential projects that will help attract development and as such sew a joining thread between the remote communities in the district.
The grant assistance amounting to 73,047 US Dollars was availed following Kgalagadi District council’s fulfillment of all conditions required by the Grass-root Human Security projects programme (GGP). GGP is a funding scheme under the Government of Japan that supports community level socio-economic development activities initiated by non-government organizations. The programme has to date benefited 38 organizations in Botswana. GGP’s coordinator Yukari Kanamori explained to Gazette Business that the requirements that had to be fulfilled include that of a regular and healthy cash flow of the recipient organization and an adequate number of employees who are expected to handle the capacity of the project given that it requires the mammoth task of paperwork.
Onishi announced that the pre-school will benefit around 40 children on a yearly basis residing in Hunhukwe and surrounding communities. He promised that the project will be delivered within the agreed completion time, which is set at 6 months.