The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
By Sarah Namulondo
Amidst donor cuts the Japanese government has donated 863m shillings to three grass roots projects in the health, education and sports sector in Uganda.
The money was given to go to the construction of a maternity ward in Bubangizi health centre III in Mitooma district, to improve education facilities in Kyegegwa district in Kisambya primary school and to improve the standards of baseball and soft ball in the country by building a field for the games in Gayaza Wakiso district.
Speaking at the signing of the grant contracts with representatives of the three organizations, Japanese Ambassador to Uganda, Kazuo Minagawa, said the donation was part of the Japanese people’s contribution to supporting community-based development projects in Uganda.
The Ambassador addressed journalists at the embassy, saying that the Japanese people are committed to boosting economic growth as well as achieving millennium development goals and consolidation of peace and good governance in Africa.
Bubangizi health Centre got $98, 710 (about sh246m), while the Uganda Baseball and Softball Association got $122, 175 (about sh305m) and Mpara Sub-County got $139, 025 (about sh347m).
Rev Father Lawrence Mwesigye, who represented the Bubangizi Health Centre and In-charge Sr. Daphroza Tusiime, said through the project, expectant mothers who for long have been delivering from their homes rather than health centres, will be able to deliver with the help of qualified medical personnel.
He said that Bubangizi Health Centre is the only Health Centre in the entire district which has a total of about 106, 900 people in need of maternity services.
The state minister for sports Charles Bakkabulindi thanked the Japanese people, and said that Health and education are key sectors to national development and when the Japanese people participate in the development of schools, they are indeed fighting illiteracy.
He called upon the beneficiaries not to betray the trust of the Japanese people by using the money to do shoddy work like they have experienced in some sectors’ but, rather, use it as planned.
