Ambassador of Japan to Nepal Masamichi Saigo signed a grant contract for the construction of a care home for HIV/AIDS infected and affected women and children.

The grant contract was signed between the Embassy of Japan and Natisara Rai Executive Director of Shakti Milan Samaj, a local NGO that has been supporting HIV/AIDS affected patients since 2003.

Besides the signatories, Kazuhiro Nakahara, Chairman of Lung-ta Project, a Japanese NGO that works for issues on trafficking and HIV/AIDS affected persons, also participated.

The Project for the Construction of a Care Home for HIV/AIDS affected Mothers and Children in Nepal is funded under the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) of the Japanese Government. The total grant assistance is USD 68,677 (approximately NPR 7.5 million).

The project will support the construction of a care home that accommodates women and children. This care home will be a place to live, furthermore it will become a “warm home” for women and children who have been rejected by their families and neighbors due to the infection. The care home will have a spacious garden where they can grow flowers and vegetables for their income generation. Additionally, it will supply necessary care for HIV/AIDS affected visitors from all over the country, who seek for assistance.

Shakti Milan Samaj has been offering counselling, treatment and care to HIV/AIDS affected people and their families. Furthermore, the core of their activities is also to organize advocacy and raise awareness among the people.

In Nepal, people still tend to misunderstand that HIV/AIDS will be infected via simple physical contact, and often the patients face difficulty to declare that they are affected by HIV/AIDS. However, it is important to share correct information and the right understanding about HIV/AIDS and to support those suffering from it. Through the implementation of the project it is hoped that the activities of Shakti Milan Samaj will be enhanced and correct understanding about HIV/AIDS will deepen among Nepali people.

“The Embassy of Japan expects this project will contribute to improve the living conditions of HIV/AIDS affected people, and also to provide a catalyst to enhance understanding about HIV/AIDS in Nepal. The Embassy also hopes the assistance will further strengthen the bilateral relationship between Japan and Nepal,” said a press release issued by Embassy of Japan.