JAPAN this week signed a grant worth US$85,807 to support maternal and child health programmes in Kampong Thom province that an embassy official said would benefit 48,000 people in two districts. “This project is to provide training for midwives and staff of four health centers, and also health volunteers, selected by villagers, to improve their skills and knowledge of maternal and child health services in Baray and Santuk districts in Kampong Thom,” said Hideaki Matsuo, the head of the economic and official development assistance section at the Japanese embassy. Ambassador Kuroki Masafumi attended a grant-signing ceremony held on Wednesday.