March 7, 2008
Consulate-General of Japan in Chiang Mai
The Government of Japan, under its Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects Scheme (GGP), will provide funds amounting to 1,799,400 baht for a project entitled "Construction of Self-Reliance Training Facilities for Disabled Children in Muang District, Phrae Province". On March 6, 2008, Mrs.Junko Yokota, the Consul-General of Japan in Chiang Mai and Mr.Sathorn Ganmanee, Director of Phraepanyanukoon School, jointly signed the funding contract for the project at the Consulate-General of Japan in Chiang Mai. His Excellency Mr.Pongsak Prywet, Governor of Phrae Province also attended at this signing ceremony as one of witnesses.
Phraepanyanukoon School is located in Muang District of Phrae province. The school was established in 1977 as a national boarding school for mentally disabled children and those who have hearing difficulties residing in the province. The school carries out, free of enrollment charge, vocational training courses for mildly disabled children, in skills such as hairdressing, cooking, handicrafts and agriculture. These training courses are intended to enable the children to obtain the self-reliance needed during their daily life in the local community. In the case of severely disabled children, they are expected to go back home after graduating from the school to live with their families, but it is difficult for the working members of the family to look after disabled children full time at home. Therefore, self-help style training courses are urgently needed. However, both the vocational and self-help training facilities at the school are currently inadequate.
In response to a request from Phraepanyanukoon School, the Government of Japan will bear the construction costs of (1) a vocational training facility for mildly disabled children, where the school provides various kinds of vocational training, exhibits their work and conducts activities such as practising selling goods and managing stores, and (2) two self-help training facilities for severely disabled children, where the school conducts a series of activities to enable the children to spend daily life without help from family members. It is expected that the construction will enable disabled children and their families to receive, with confidence and hope, proper self-help type training.
The Government of Japan is willing to provide assistance that will improve the self-reliance and self-help of disabled children.
