JFY2021 GGP “The Project for Constructing the New Emergency Relief Supplies Storage Warehouse and Training Center of the Palau Red Cross Society”

On February 27, 2026, the GGP Coordinator of the Embassy of Japan met with Ms. J. Maireng Sengebau, Secretary General of the Palau Red Cross Society (PRCS), and Mr. Icely Kuterbis, a member of the Red Cross Disaster Action Team (RDAT), at Emergency Relief Supplies Storage Warehouse and Training Center of the PRCS. The visit was conducted as part of the second-year follow-up to “The Project for Constructing the New Emergency Relief Supplies Storage Warehouse and Training Center of the Palau Red Cross Society.”
 
Through the Government of Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Projects (GGP), the PRCS completed the construction of the Warehouse and Training Center on October 3, 2024, with a total grant of USD 404,828.
 
Prior to the project, the existing warehouse and training facilities were outdated and lacked sufficient capacity, constraining the hygienic storage and timely distribution of relief supplies, as well as regular outreach activities. The former office location and limited facilities also made coordination with the government and the implementation of training programs challenging.
 
Through this project, the new facility now enables the safe storage and smooth distribution of relief supplies during natural disasters. Outreach activities are conducted more regularly, and disaster prevention volunteers are trained, strengthening Palau’s disaster response capacity.
 
Two years after its completion, the facility remains well managed by the PRCS and continues to serve as a key hub for weekly outreach activities and the storage of emergency supplies.
 
Japan’s GGP was launched in Palau in 1999 to address grassroots development needs, including education, healthcare, and community welfare. This project marks the 88th of the 105 GGP projects implemented in Palau.
 

Made possible through Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Project (GGP), a new emergency relief supplies warehouse and training center has been completed and handed over to the Palau Red Cross Society (PRCS) on July 25, 2024. The handover ceremony for the project, titled “The Project for Constructing the New Emergency Relief Supplies Storage Warehouse and Training Center of Palau Red Cross Society,” took place at the facility located in Ngebudel, Airai. The event was attended by His Excellency ORIKASA Hiroyuki, Ambassador of Japan to Palau, His Excellency Surangel S. Whipps Jr., President of the Republic of Palau, Mr. Jefferson Thomas, Chairman of the National Governing Board of PRCS, the PRCS management team, and other guests, who gathered to celebrate this momentous occasion.

Palau is highly vulnerable to natural disasters, as exemplified by Typhoon Surigae in April 2021, which caused extensive damage to infrastructure throughout the country and affected the lives of the people of Palau. The PRCS is the only non-profit humanitarian organization that provides direct and life-saving assistance to those affected by natural disasters.

In light of this, the Government of Japan decided to support the PRCS project as part of Japan’s commitment to assist Palau in disaster preparedness and resilience building. The new facility is not only located close to the NEMO, but also has the capacity to store relief supplies for approximately 300 households. The facility also has a dedicated space for training center, which will be used to conduct disaster management training programs for the general public, in collaboration with the government and other relevant agencies, as the promotion and fostering of citizen volunteers through the PRCS’s outreach activities plays a critical role in improving the country’s disaster preparedness. 

“Leaders instil in their people a hope for success and a belief in themselves. Positive leaders empower people to achieve their goals. In the case of disaster response, no matter how many organizations are in place and how much preparation is done, in the end it will all depend on whether or not there are leaders and stakeholders who have a sense of mission, responsibility, accountability, transparency and act on these principles in a disaster situation to minimize the damage to the people of Palau. That is why Japan has decided to provide the financial support to the Palau Red Cross Society as the leading civil society organization in disaster response in Palau,” said Ambassador Orikasa in his remarks.
 
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.

On Thursday December 2, 2021, Ambassador of Japan Karasawa and Chairman of the Palau Red Cross Society Asanuma signed a grant contract for “The Project for Constructing the New Emergency Relief Supplies Storage Warehouse and Training Center of the Palau Red Cross Society” worth $404,828. The ceremony was held in Palau Community College Assembly Hall and witnessed by President Whipps, Senate President Baules, Speaker Anastacio, Vice President Sengebau Senior, Minister Obichang, US Ambassador Hennessey-Niland, and many guests.
 
Palau is geographically vulnerable to natural disasters such as typhoons, floods and droughts. In the past, Typhoon Bopha, Typhoon Haiyan and Typhoon Surigae caused massive damages to homes and infrastructure throughout Palau. PRCS has played vital roles as a front liner to help suffering people, distribute emergency supplies and assess damages. In addition, PRCS has been engaged in outreach activities in cooperation with the Government, State Government, schools and local communities.
 
PRCS currently has three container-type warehouses in Palau Community College. However, they are too small and deteriorating to stock adequate emergency supplies safely. Moreover, the Palau Red Cross does not have training facilities, which makes it difficult for them to extend their outreach activities and trainings for R-DATs, officials and communities. Considering these challenges, the Embassy of Japan has decided to provide a grant aid to construct a new warehouse and training center. This grant worth $404,828 is the second biggest grassroots projects ever.
 
The new facility will be a two-story building, 16 meters in length by 32 meters in width, located in Airai State. With the completion of this facility, PRCS will be able to store emergency supplies for 300 households safely and distribute them smoothly to impacted areas. In addition, the new building will enable PRCS to extend their activities and trainings to volunteers, officials and communities. In the ceremony, Ambassador Karasawa stated, “We hope this project will enhance Palau’s capacity for disaster risk management.” Chairman Asanuma said, “We are very grateful for much needed help by Japan. This is a very historic moment in the 20-year history of the Red Cross”. President Whipps stated, “It is important to build a new warehouse close to the airport and NEMO”, praising the Red Cross’s partnership with Japan, United States and other partners. Minister Obichang stated, “We were very much waiting for today’s signing ceremony.”
 
The Government of Japan launched GGP in 1999 to meet development needs in grassroots activities in Palau. The Embassy of Japan has signed 88 grant contracts with schools, hospitals, state governments and NGOs. For further information about GGP, please contact 488-6455 or visit the Embassy of Japan website at https://www.palau.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/about_ggp.html.