NNA - In a press release issued on Tuesday, the Embassy of Japan in Beirut said that Japan will extend a grant to Yeghishe Manoukian College (YMC), to install a solar panel system, through the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Program (GGP). On February 27th 2023, Ambassador MAGOSHI Masayuki signed a grant contract with Hovannes Arslanian, General Manager of YMC.
Yeghishe Manoukian College (YMC), located in Dbayeh/Metn, provides basic education services for vulnerable students not only from the town but also other regions. Due to the economic crisis in Lebanon, the school had to reduce the number of students to the half of its normal capacity as well as teaching hours, in order to decrease its operational costs, mainly the cost of fuel as it became very expensive to maintain generators due to shortage of national power supply. Considering the need for affordable power supply and for green energy, Japan decided to provide YMC with a solar panel system, which will allow to increase the number of students and provide the improved learning environment.
At the signing ceremony, Ambassador MAGOSHI expressed Japan’s keenness to support the education sector and to provide green energy solutions amid the current economic and energy crises. For its part, YMC thanked the Japanese government for its support, and highlighted the importance of this assistance to improve the school’s quality of education.
The PR added that Japan will also extend a grant to the Environment Academy of the American University of Beirut (AUB), to install a solar panel system in the water pumping facility in Baalechmay, through the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Program (GGP). On February 27th 2023, Ambassador MAGOSHI Masayuki signed a grant contract with Mr. Zaher Dawy, Provost of AUB.
The southern area of Baalechmay faces a shortage of public water supply, ninety per cent less than the quantity recommended per person by the World Health Organization. Therefore, the residents have to purchase water from private water tankers at high cost and some rely on water from a well, which is not suitable for drinking. Due to the current energy and economic crises, the Municipality of Baalechmay is facing difficulties in operating the existing well pumping facility. To this end, Japan decided to support the Municipality of Baalechmay through the AUB’s Environment Academy to install a solar panel system to operate the well pumping facility, which will have more than 4,000 residents access to safe water at more affordable price.
At the signing ceremony, Ambassador MAGOSHI hoped that this project will alleviate the Lebanese people’s hardships and support vulnerable communities in Lebanon. In return, AUB thanked Japan for being one of the first countries to support Baalechmay and stressed the Japan’s assistance will address the urgent need of the community.
In another PR, the Embassy of Japan in Beirut said that Japan will also extend a grant to Banin Charity Association, to install a solar panel system in the water pumping facility in Ouzai, through the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Program (GGP). On February 27th 2023, Ambassador MAGOSHI Masayuki signed a grant contract with Mr. Jad Beydoun, Executive manager of Banin Charity Association.
The Ouzai water pumping facility is part of a water network system established recently by UNICEF through a Japanese grant. This system, currently managed by the Federation of Southern Suburbs Municipalities, was designed to fulfill the water demand of residents in the area; however, due to shortage of power supply caused by the current economic crisis, the cost of the water pumping facility has become extremely high as it operates on fuel. Considering the vital needs of water supply for the region, Japan decided to support the Federation of Southern Suburbs Municipalities through Banin Charity Association to install a solar energy power system in the Ouzai facility. This assistance will allow 59,000 residents to have access to safe water at lower cost.
At the signing ceremony, Ambassador MAGOSHI hoped that this project would have a great impact on the local community and expressed Japan’s keenness to support the vital sector. In return, Banin thanked Japan for its continuous support to the Federation of Southern Suburbs Municipalities to provide basic needs for vulnerable communities in Lebanon.
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