MONEY FOR CANADIAN HEALTH PROJECTS IN HONDURAS

UNCLAS OTTAWA 000428 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/CAN AND WHA/CEN USAID FOR LAC E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID SOCI CA HO SUBJECT: MONEY FOR CANADIAN HEALTH PROJECTS IN HONDURAS ¶1. During her recent visit to Honduras, International Development Minister Bev Oda announced that the Canadian government is providing C$18 million to help youth and other marginalized groups in Honduras through new school-feeding, health, and water and sanitation initiatives. "These projects will provide visible, long-term health benefits to Hondurans and provide the communities with a better opportunity to improve their livelihoods and overall sustainable development," the Minister said in her announcement. ¶2. The projects Oda announced on March 18 include: a) C$10 million to UNICEF and the United Nations Population Fund to help the Honduran government offer quality HIV/AIDS prevention and other health and reproduction services and programs for adolescents and youth. Over the next ten years, this program will ensure that individuals and organizations in almost 50 municipalities receive proper training, and overall support to deliver quality sexual and reproductive health services, and HIV/AIDS and early pregnancy prevention information. The program will assist 45,000 youths directly and provide an indirect benefit to 250,000 more; b) C$4 million to UNICEF in support of the maintenance of water and sanitation systems and the promotion of good hygiene practices throughout Honduras, especially in rural areas without easy access to clean water. Along with the planned hygiene and sanitation programs, the project will complement UNICEF's Infant Survival and Development Country Program and should help lower child mortality rates. The project is expected to help over 100,000 people; c) C$4 million to the World Food Program's School Feeding Program to help increase school enrollment, especially by girls, and ensure that students receive a healthy lunch each day. The project's goal is to feed over 400,000 students over 4 years in 36 municipalities. ¶3. This was Minister Oda's third visit to the area since Prime Minister Harper's visit last July. She reaffirmed the Prime Minister's position on promoting Canada's fundamental values of freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law, and Canada's commitment to deepen its relationship with the Americas. Visit Canada,s Economy and Environment Forum at http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/can ada BREESE