Where funding from UNICEF goes
Well over 8,000 children in public schools will now benefit from adapted basic education programs, through the gift of 6.6 million dollars (529 million yen) provided by the Japan Government states Marianne Flach, UNICEF Representative in Congo. The Senior Advisor of the Embassy of Japan, the Resident Representative of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Representative of the United Nations Children's Fund in the Congo, conducted this activity, exchange and signing of a new grant agreement for the improvement of education in the Congo in the presence of Honorable Minister of Primary, and Secondary education on June 20, 2011 in Brazzaville,.
In his speech, Mr. Kazuhiko FUJITA called the ceremony "remarkable and special" as it is the first signing of a cooperation project in Japan to the Republic of the Congo by the Japanese Embassy in the DRC after the transfer of diplomatic skills to this country in August.
The Japanese diplomat sent words of thanks for all the gestures offered by the international community following the disaster of March 11, 2011 and expressed his joy to provide solidarity support through this project.
Mr. Eiro Yonezaki, Resident Representative of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in DRC said that since October 2010, the office of JICA in the DRC took the function of the performance of Japanese cooperation for Congo Brazzaville. This project in collaboration with UNICEF is a good starting point for JICA who wants to be more active in contributing to sustainable development in the Republic of Congo.
These funds will contribute to the implementation of the National Action Plan for Education for All in the Congo. They will finance a project of access to education for vulnerable children in six departments of the Congo (Sangha, Likouala, Pool, Plateaux, Brazzaville and Pointe Noire).
The funding through this new 3-year project (2011-2013) focuses on children excluded from the formal school system and aims to:
• develop 36 community centers for early childhood development to promote the development of children under 5 years
• Rehabilitate 18 re-education centers to provide access to education for children excluded from school
These results will ultimately strengthen the national strategy for non-formal education.
The project strategy is based on community participation. It is indeed aimed to build the capacity of communities to manage structures to ensure the sustainability of a decent school environment for children. Japan will support the participation of civil society and religious associations for the implementation of parental education on the health of young children, awareness of good practices related to hygiene, nutrition and HIV / AIDS prevention.
Since 2005, the Government of Japan has continuously supported the efforts of the Government of Congo and UNICEF to implement the right of children to education in the Congo. From 2008 to 2010, the partnership with Japan has stepped the approach in three departments of the Congo (Brazzaville, the Plateaux Pool) allowing more than 30,000 children to have access to a quality basic education through the construction, rehabilitation and equipping of 27 schools.
UNICEF has branches in well over 150 countries and regions to provide help to children so that they can thrive and survive, from their early childhood through to their adolescent age. It happens to be the most prominent vaccine provider in the world at large but more especially for developing countries; UNICEF provides massive support for child nutrition and health, access to potable water and sanitation, quality basic education for both boys and girls and the protection of children against exploitation, violence and all forms of AIDS.