On the morning of Wednesday, December 10^th, the Embassy of Japan in Costa Rica officially handed the keys to three Toyota 4×4 ambulance vehicles that will be utilized by the Red Cross rescue squads of Porvenir in Limon, Hojancha in Guanacaste and Paquera in Puntarenas. These three emergency vehicles are part of the State of Japan’s Assistance-Community-Projects (APC) foreign aid initiative, which is conducted by Japanese embassies around the world.

 

As part of the APC program, the ambulances given to the Red Cross in Costa Rica by Japan are part of an unconditional and non-reimbursable donation. The donation required an expenditure of $120,864 by the nice people of Japan. The goal of the APC program is to provide material and financial assistance to communities that are in need of greater quality of life.

 

At the official ceremony, which was attended by Red Cross President Miguel Carmona Jimenez, Ambassador Mamoru Shinohara stated:

 

“These volunteer rescue squads from the Red Cross were having difficulties with their ambulances, many of which have already been used beyond repair. The Embassy of Japan recognized the important role these ambulances play in the communities they serve, and thus we decided to lend a helping hand.”

 

In early 2014, Japan donated 45 vehicles to be used by rangers, firefighters and scientific researchers at various National Parks in Costa Rica. The Embassy of Japan also signed a funding commitment worth $104,600 to remodel the San Luis de Bolivar School in Grecia in 2014 and 2015. Moreover, the honorable people of Japan also contributed to the improvement of public care for the elderly in San Jose.