In May 2017, The Embassy of Japan visited Free State and Northern Cape at which Embassy-sponsored projects were completed.
The Order of St John in Bloemfontein; Lesedi hospice in Hertzogville; Lifeline in Kimberley and Nightingale Hospice in De Aar hosted handover ceremonies. These organisations received three mobile clinics, an ambulance and the renovation of the hospices. Projects were funded by the Embassy of Japan through the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) Programme.
The ceremonies were attended by Mr Kazunori Yamakita, 1st Secretary of the Embassy of Japan in South Africa, representatives from the Department of Health in Free State and Northern Cape Provinces, the Executive Mayor of the Pixley Kaseme, of which Emthanjeni is the sub-district and representatives from the Aids Council in the Northern Cape.
Lesedi Hospice, Hertzogville was established in 2005 and provides primary health care, Adult Palliative Care, Peadiatric Palliative Care such as Early Childhood Development and Orphans and Vulnerable Children. The government of Japan provided assistance amounting to R759,375.86 for the Procurement of a Mobile Clinic and the Construction of an ablution block.
Nightingale Hospice in De Aar, was established in 1994 and it provides palliative care service delivery to vulnerable patients of Emthanjeni municipality. The Government of Japan decided to support this organisation through grant assistance amounting to the value of R1,041,861.89 for the procurement of a mobile clinic and the renovation of the Hospice.
Education and economic empowerment are the priority areas for the Government of Japan in its extension of GGP assistance to South Africa. The GGP is intended to assist NGOs and local authorities in addressing development needs in a prompt and comprehensive manner in areas such as education, health, water supply, climate change and in a variety of other local needs. The GGP scheme was first introduced in 1989, and prioritizes human security for vulnerable and marginalised people within society. Since 1990, over 600 GGP projects have been implemented in South Africa. In the Japanese Fiscal Year 2016 (April 2016–March 2017), the Embassy of Japan extended GGP assistance to 11 projects, amounting to approximately R10 million.
