KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 12

The Japanese government is set to assist in the reconstruction of a classroom building for Shree Bheri Tribeni Secondary School (SBTSS) in Jajarkot district.

Kikuta Yutaka, Ambassador of Japan to Nepal, signed a grant contract with Deepak Chapagain, President of Volunteer Corps Nepal (VCN), for the reconstruction amidst a ceremony held at the Embassy of Japan in Kathmandu today.

The project is funded under the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) of the Government of Japan and includes a grant of USD 170,159 (approximately NPR 22.7 million), according to a press release issued by the Japan Embassy in Kathmandu.

The project is managed by VCN, which has been active in emergency disaster relief and other sectors since 2018. The final beneficiary, SBTSS, was established in 1985 and serves as a core educational institution for nearly 500 students in Jajarkot and nearby districts. However, the school is one of the institutions severely affected by the November 2023 earthquake, with its main building completely collapsed, the release further states.

'As part of the community's recovery in the face of post-earthquake challenges, the project will support the reconstruction of a two-story building with 12 classrooms. It is expected that the classrooms built by GGP will provide a safe and effective educational environment for the students and teachers who are now forced to conduct their activities in the temporary school shelter.'

'The Embassy of Japan believes that this project will not only improve the educational environment, but also contribute to the development of Nepal including Jajarkot area as one of the symbols of the post-earthquake reconstruction. We also hope that this assistance will further strengthen the friendship between the people of Japan and Nepal, now and for future generations.'

GGP was established to implement projects that directly benefit people at the grassroots level for the socio-economic development of communities. Since 1991, over 200 GGP projects have been completed in Nepal, the embassy added.