Donations

In the last 15 years, the Government of Japan has donated a total of €460 million to Serbia, with some €10,567,418 of that amount spent on the so-called POPOS donations, which were used to fund 178 projects. Thanks to these projects, the children of Serbia got new school benches, as well as new doors, windows and roofs for their damaged schools. Patients in Serbia were provided with better healthcare and were quickly transported to the nearest medical centres thanks to new ambulances. Senior citizens were given better accommodation in nursing homes and the quality of their life improved as a result of donated equipment.

Thanks to these donations, the people of Serbia are now also able to live in a healthier environment. Through the POPOS donation programme, which was launched in 1989, the Japanese Government has been continuously providing one-off assistance for the reconstruction of schools and nursery buildings, the acquisition of medical equipment and ambulance vehicles, the acquisition of dump trucks and rubbish containers, tank cars and sweepers, special vehicles for transportation of disabled people, equipment for social welfare institutions and other needs, amounting to a total of 10 million Japanese Yen. Many towns in Serbia were able to respond immediately to the urgent needs of their citizens, due to assistance from the Japanese Government.

During the 2014 Japanese fiscal year, which ran from April 2014 to the end of March 2015, the Japanese Government provided the Republic of Serbia with financial assistance in the amount of €731,138 via the POPOS donation programme.

Education

The Japanese Government donated a total of €263,281 to several educational facilities in 2014. The Perka Vićentijević preschool facility in Obrenovac received €42,420 for purchasing food delivery vehicles, laundry delivery vehicles and maintenance equipment. The Ub preschool facility received €53,870 for the reconstruction of its heating system and repairs to the building façade. The Radoje Domanović Primary School from Paraćin was given €54,480 to reconstruct its heating system, while the Mladost Secondar School from Petrovac na Mlavi received €46,111 to renovate the school gym. The Borivoje Ž. Milojević Primary School from Krupanj got €66,400 to reconstruct heating pipes and replace the school’s doors and windows.

Since 1999, the Japanese Government has provided donations worth over €10 million to nurseries, schools, health centres, old people’s homes, children with special needs and enviromental protection

Earlier this year, financial assistance was sent to pupils of the Svetozar Marković Primary School in Rekovac and the Nada Popović Primary School in Kruševac, where money donated by the Japanese Government was spent on replacing doors and windows. Early last year, the Japanese Embassy in Serbia officially donated money to the Pčelica Nursery School, which was spent on reconstructing the roof that had been damaged by snow and rainfall, as well as on painting the façade and interior walls, which were damaged by mold and rot and, thus, posed a health hazard to both children and staff.

Two years ago, pupils of the Sava Kerković Primary School in Ljig received two financial donations from the Japanese Government. The first was spent on reconstructing the entire sewage and water supply grid, while 11 classrooms were given new furniture. The Japanese Government also donated books to the Ljig Town Library, covering origami and martial arts, as well as books are written by Japanse novelists, books about Japanese traditional and modern arts, and textbooks for people wishing to learn the Japanese language on their own.

In October 2012, a Japanese donation was spent on replacing all doors and windows at the Vuk Karadžić Primary School in Stubal and the Ivan Vušović Primary School in Ražanj, where all school toilets were repaired. The biggest preschool facility in Brus – Pahuljica – got new doors and windows, and had its roof, interior and exterior walls fixed, all thanks to a Japanese donation from 2012.

Since 1999, the Japanese Government has provided assistance to 56 educational facilities in Serbia and six educational facilities in Montenegro.

Donations for healthcare

Through the POPOS donation programme, the Japanese Government has provided assistance to 58 healthcare facilities in Serbia and 12 healthcare facilities in Montenegro, most commonly in the form of various medical equipment and ambulance vehicles.

Many areas in Serbia can say that, thanks to the help from the Japanese Government, they were able to respond to the urgent needs of their citizens in a timely manner

Last year alone saw the Japanese Government provide financial assistance in the amount of €287,996 to healthcare facilities in Serbia. Four health centres – in Obrenovac, Krupanj, Ub and Mionica – received €70,128, €78,000, €61,950 and €77,918 respectively, in order to purchase medical equipment, medical furniture, ambulance vehicles and other ER equipment.

In September this year, the Osečina Health Centre received €70,145 to purchase medical equipment and an ambulance vehicle. Two years ago, the Japanese Government donated an X-ray machine to the health centre in Rača. The health centre in Kučevo also received an X-ray machine, in addition to a biochemical analyser and water purifying equipment, worth a combined total of €67,284.

Social welfare

Thanks to Japanese donations, the residents of the nursery home in Obrenovac, which was heavily damaged during the 2014 flooding, received financial assistance in the amount of €77,995, thanks to which the nursery home purchased new washing machines and kitchen appliances. The old people and pensioner’s home in Krupanj, which was one of the Serbian towns hardest hit by the flooding, received a €31,376 donation to renovate the floors and interior walls, replace doors and purchase washing machines and two boilers.

Last year saw the Home for Mentally Disabled People in Tutin receive an ambulance vehicle and medical equipment – ultrasound, haematology analyser, wheelchairs and Anti-decubitus mattresses. In 2013, the Gerontology Centre in Pančevo received an €82,340 donation for new beds and equipment required for nursing disabled senior citizens. In September 2012, the Thermal Special Rehabilitation Hospital at Vrdnik Spa was given an ambulance vehicle, defibrillator, ECG, haematology analyser, laboratory centrifuge and biochemical analyser.
In 2013, the Japanese Government donated €40,581 to be used to renovate part of the Red Cross building in Kraljevo, as a contribution to advancing social protection in the Republic of Serbia
Environmental protection

In the 2014 budget year, the Japanese Government set aside a total of €70,490 as financial assistance to public utility enterprises. Public utility enterprise Morava from Svilajnac was given €70,490 to purchase a combined machine. Last year, public utility enterprise Komunalac from Knić received €89,176 to spend on extending the waste collection system in Knić, while public utility enterprise Duboko Regional Waste Management Centre from Užice was given €86,154 as financial aid for advancing their waste collection system and further developing the recycling system. Public utility company Vrelo was given €89,200 to purchase sewage maintenance machines and a snowplough.

In 2012, public utility enterprise Gradska Čistoća from Novi Pazar received financial assistance in the amount of €81,290, which enabled the company to buy refuse collection trucks and 60 garbage containers, thus making the environment in which the citizens of Novi Pazar live much better and cleaner. Also, public utility enterprise Blace from Blace was given €58,000 for the acquisition of a refuse collection truck.

To date, the Japanese Government has approved eight donations aimed at improving environmental protection in Serbia, as well as two donations for the same purpose in Montenegro.