New Delhi: A $16.5 million grant was signed Monday by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Vanuatu to enhance training opportunities at the Vanuatu Institute of Technology. The grant is aimed at helping fund Vanuatu’s Supporting the Delivery of Skills Development Project, an ADB release stated.
The Asian Development Fund (ADF) provides grants to countries in the ADB’s poorest and most vulnerable regions, the release added.
The project is aimed at assisting individuals with the skills needed to seize employment opportunities in a rapidly changing world. It is also to help mitigate climate change impacts. The funds will be used to expand and enhance training programs at the Vanuatu Institute of Technology in Malampa.
This will include the introduction of new courses, building new infrastructure, providing equipment, and strengthening the institution and trainers. It is also part of the project to construct a disability-accessible multipurpose classroom and art studio with specialized furniture and technology, as well as new student learning facilities. The project is expected to benefit women and vulnerable groups, particularly disengaged youth and people living with disabilities.
The grant agreement was signed by ADB Director General for the Pacific Leah Gutierrez and Vanuatu Minister of Finance and Economic Management Johnny Koanapo Rasou in Port Vila on September 16. The project will cost $19.44 million altogether, with additional funding of $3 million provided by the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific (JFPR).
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