Kathmandu: A total of 12 fire engines from Japan were handed over to two Nepali NGOs on October 29 to strengthen local emergency response capacity. The vehicles will soon be deployed to 12 municipalities across the Madhesh, Bagmati, Gandaki, Koshi, and Lumbini Provinces.
The project to provide recycled fire engines was implemented by Volunteer Corps Nepal (VCN), led by Deepak Chapagain, and the United Mission to Nepal (UMN), led by Dhana Lama. The Government of Japan provided funding of USD 282,614 to VCN and USD 259,035 to UMN under its Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP).
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Maeda Toru, Ambassador of Japan to Nepal, congratulated everyone involved and expressed confidence that the vehicles would enhance firefighting and emergency response capabilities, helping protect lives and property in the beneficiary communities.
The Embassy of Japan stated that the initiative will not only improve public safety but also further strengthen the friendship between the peoples of Japan and Nepal.
Established in 1991, the GGP program aims to support projects that directly benefit communities at the grassroots level, promoting local socio-economic development. To date, more than 200 GGP projects have been implemented in Nepal.
