May 14, 2003
 Ambulance Handed Over to Maiti Nepal
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Maiti Nepal is a Nepalese NGO formed in 1993 by a group of socially committed professionals like teachers, journalists and social workers to protect Nepalese girls and women from crimes like domestic violence, trafficking, child labor and various forms of female exploitation. Maiti Nepal has a rehabilitation and protection center where they provide medical check-ups, psychological counseling, non-formal education, and vocational training, to name but a few.
Maiti Nepal was in need of an ambulance for HIV positive women and children, rescued from Indian brothels, who need to be transported to the hospitals in order to receive medical treatment in time; other ambulances usually hesitate or refuse to do so.
To help partially address this problem, the Government of Japan had provided US$13,874, equivalent to approximately NRs.1,078,704 to Maiti Nepal for the implementation of the Project for the Supply of Used Ambulances in JFY 2002 under the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Projects (GGP) scheme of the Government of Japan. The ambulance has been donated by the Toyota City of Aichi Prefecture, Japan and arranged by the Society for Promotion of Japanese Diplomacy, Tokyo.
On May 12, the ambulance key was handed over by Ambassador Kaminaga to Mr. Bisho Ram Khadka, director of Maiti Nepal. Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador Kaminaga applauded the immeasurable effort on the part of Maiti Nepal in combating trafficking of children, girls and women, rescuing and rehabilitating flesh trade victims, and providing care and support to the children and girls who are infected with HIV/AIDS. Furthermore, he expressed his hope that Maiti Nepal would ensure the proper management and maintenance of the ambulance. He added, "This ambulance will symbolize the long lasting relationship of friendship and cooperation between Japan and Nepal at the grassroots level."
Addressing the same function, the representative of Maiti Nepal stated how difficult it had been in finding an ambulance to take the patients residing in Maiti Nepal Rehabilitation Center in Kathmandu to hospitals during cases of emergency. Extending his heartfelt thanks to the Government of Japan and other parties involved in the project, he assured that the ambulance would be made available not only to the patients of Maiti Nepal but also to the local people of Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur districts, at a modest charge.
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