The signing of an agreement took place at the Embassy of Japan in Mongolia between the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Japan, Masaru Igawahara, and the director of Save the Children Mongolia, Mitsuaki Toyoda. The document concerns the second year of implementing the initiative "Supporting Early Childhood Development through Inclusive, Sustainable, and Comprehensive Services." This information was provided by MiddleAsianNews.
The main objective of the project is to strengthen the capabilities, coordination, and responsiveness of local authorities in providing assistance to young children with developmental delays or disabilities.
The project is being implemented under the "Grant Support for Japanese NGO Projects" program.
Masaru Igawahara
“In the 2024 fiscal year, Save the Children Japan will continue its work on the project aimed at supporting early childhood development through inclusive, accessible, and comprehensive services. Over the past year, steps have been taken in Ulaanbaatar and in the Selenge and Bayankhongor aimags to identify developmental disorders early, as well as to improve infrastructure and create necessary conditions for early intervention.
In the second year of the project, which has received approval, support will continue for local medical centers, kindergartens, and subcommittees providing state services. By visiting family medical centers and kindergartens in the Bayanzürkh district, I was able to see the results achieved through the creation of new facilities and sanitary conditions for children. The effective use of these resources by the staff confirms the successes of the project.
The participating organizations intend to expand cooperation with new partners to share experiences and knowledge. I am confident that the project will continue to develop and expand,” said Ambassador Masaru Igawahara at the signing ceremony.
Mitsuaki Toyoda
“Our cooperation is entering its final stage. We have been able to improve methods for assessing child development, strengthen interaction between the education, social protection, and healthcare sectors, and create conditions for more inclusive and accessible services for children. Building on the achievements of recent years, we aim to expand partnerships, share experiences, and strengthen capacity to achieve real results. We will also work on institutionalizing best practices developed with government partners at the policy and information levels. This will ensure proper support for children, especially those with health limitations and developmental delays, during the most critical period of early childhood,” noted the representative director Mitsuaki Toyoda.
The Government of Mongolia views this joint initiative with Japan as key to forming a sustainable and inclusive system.
The project will operate until March 29, 2027, with total funding of $664,555.
The Grant Support Program for Japanese NGO Projects is a mechanism through which the Government of Japan finances socio-economic development projects implemented by Japanese non-governmental organizations in developing countries.
