Ulaanbaatar, March 25, 2026 /MONTSAME/. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Mongolia, Igawahara Masaru, and Country Director of Save the Children Mongolia, Mitsuaki Toyoda, signed the agreement for the second year of the project titled “Supporting Early Childhood Development through Inclusive, Sustainable, and Comprehensive Services” at the Embassy of Japan.

The project aims to strengthen the capacity, coordination, and responsiveness of local public service institutions to support young children with developmental delays and disabilities.

It is being implemented under the framework of the “Grant Assistance for Japanese NGO Projects” program.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Ambassador Igawahara Masaru noted, "Under this program for the 2024 fiscal year, Save the Children Japan has been implementing the project to support early childhood development through inclusive, accessible, sustainable, and comprehensive services. Over the past year, efforts have been carried out in Ulaanbaatar city and in Selenge and Bayankhongor aimags to promote early detection of developmental disabilities, enhance early intervention, build necessary capacities, and improve infrastructure.

Within the second year of the project, which was approved this time, support will continue for family health centers, sub-committees, and kindergartens delivering public services in local areas. Last year, I visited targeted family health centers and kindergartens in the Bayanzurkh district and observed the newly established child development rooms, sanitation facilities, and equipment under the project. The effective daily use of these classrooms and equipment by staff demonstrates the project’s tangible results.

Participating institutions now plan to collaborate with those that have not yet been involved in the project to share accumulated knowledge and experience. Therefore, I am confident that this project will continue sustainably and expand further in the future.”

Country Director Mitsuaki Toyoda stated, “This cooperation is entering its final phase. As a result of our efforts, child development assessments have improved, coordination among the health, social protection, and education sectors has strengthened, and conditions are being created to deliver more inclusive and accessible services for young children. Building on the achievements of recent years, we aim to expand partnerships, share experience, and further strengthen capacities to achieve tangible outcomes. We will also focus on sustaining and institutionalizing best practices developed in cooperation with government partners at both policy and advocacy levels. This will ensure that children, especially those with disabilities and developmental delays, receive appropriate support during the most critical stage of early childhood.”

The Government of Mongolia considers this joint initiative with the Embassy of Japan to be of significant importance in establishing a sustainable, equitable, and inclusive system.

The project will be implemented until March 29, 2027, with a total funding of USD 664,555.

The Grant Assistance for Japanese NGO Projects is a scheme through which the Government of Japan provides financial support to social and economic development projects implemented by Japanese non-governmental organizations in developing countries and regions.