On 26^th January, Mr. Hidenobu Sobashima, Ambassador of Japan to the Republic of Zambia, and Ms. Amane Funabashi, Program Manager of Japanese Organization for International Cooperation in Family Planning (JOICFP), signed a grant contract amounting to up to 685,167 United States Dollars, or approximately 6.8 million Zambian Kwacha, for the implementation of a project of the Grant Assistance for Japanese NGO Projects “Promotion of Women’s Health throughout the Life Cycle at One-Stop Service Site in Zambia (Phase One)”. The contract covers the first year of the three-year development cooperation project targeting 11 areas of Masaiti District, Mpongwe District and Lufwanyama District in Copperbelt Province.

During Phase One of the project, JOICFP will develop One Stop Service facilities at existing Rural Health Centres to include a maternity waiting house and a youth centre, among others, to provide comprehensive services. JOICEF will also undertake capacity improvement activities for the staff of health offices and those responsible for health services in the Districts concerned so that they may appropriately train members of Safety Motherhood Action Groups (SMAGs) and Peer Educators (PEs).
 
Through the “Grant Assistance for Japanese NGO projects” scheme, the Government of Japan provides grant assistance to Japanese NGOs which implement economic and social development projects in developing countries.