【Grassroots Project Handover Ceremony to PCAA held; the Project for Construction of Airai Child Care Center】

  On  May 23, 2024, His Excellency ORIKASA Hiroyuki, Ambassador of Japan to Palau, officially handed over a new child care center in Airai to the Palau Community Action Agency (PCAA).

     Airai Governor Norman Ngiratecheboet, Vice Speaker Stephanie Ngirchoimei and Delegate Victoria Kanai, Delegate Yutaka Gibbons Jr. PCAA Board President Ryobch Luii, Executive Director Marcia Inacio, and other guests from the community celebrated the opening of a new child care center in Airai, funded by the Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Project (GGP).

     The new child care center will be operated by the PCAA, which currently provides affordable, quality day care and pre-school programs for young children at two locations in Koror, amongst other programs that empowers schools and the community.

     “Child care centers are very important social infrastructure in Palau, not only for early childhood education, but also for reducing Palauan labor turnover. Many working parents have no other choice but to leave their jobs even if they want to work due to the lack of child care services.” Ambassador Orikasa commented.

     Thanks to PCAA’s child care program, Palau now has two affordable child care centers for 12 months to five years old children, enabling parents to remain in the workforce or continue their education, thereby boosting economic activity for the community and the country as a whole.

     “I would like to thank all the stakeholders, who worked hard to provide a larger and more convenient location for the child care center. The change of location has meant that we have had to wait longer, but we know it has been worth the wait and I am really looking forward to seeing this place filled with young children laughing and learning as they play and interact with each other.” Ambassador Orikasa added.

      Since the opening of the other GGP-funded child day care center in Koror, which opened in 2015, the demand for day care services has increased, especially in the Airai area, and there are currently many pre-school aged children on PCAA’s waiting list.

     With two classrooms and a roofed play area, PCAA’s new child care center will be able to serve up to thirty children.

     The Government of Japan launched GGP in 1999 to meet development needs in grassroots activities in Palau. Since then, the Embassy of Japan in Palau has signed 102 grant contracts so far with schools, hospitals, state governments and NGOs. For further information about GGP, contact 488-6455 or visit the Embassy of Japan website at https://www.palau.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/about_ggp.html.