Japan-funded solar project opens in Swabi

ISLAMABAD: Japan has funded a project for installing solar panels in schools in Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. According to the Japanese Embassy, a grassroots grant assistance project for installation of solar panels in a school in village Shewa, District Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, funded by Japan was inaugurated on Wednesday.

Japan has provided a $58,928 grant (equivalent to around Rs 16.7 million) to the Shewa Educated Social Workers Association, a local NGO working in the field of education, infrastructure and environment. This is the third time for the Seswa to receive Japanese financial assistance.

This time, the Seswa utilized the grant to install solar panels at the school that was constructed and expanded by the past two financial supports from Japan to overcome the problem of frequent power outages across the whole of Pakistan in a sustainable and environmentally-friendly way. Thanks to this project, children can now learn in classrooms with a proper illumination level as well as running fans during the hot season.

At the inauguration ceremony, ITO Takeshi, chargé d'affaires of Japan to Pakistan, congratulated the NGO representatives and the community members for the successful completion of this project.

He expected that children would get a chance to carve out their bright future and this project would strengthen the existing friendly relationships between the people of Japan and Pakistan. Japan will continue to provide flexible and timely support to improve the social well-being of the people of Pakistan at the grassroots level in cooperation with local organizations.