※この記事の日本語版はこちらをご覧ください。

This year marks the fifth time for the JICA Kansai visit program. 

This time, on an afternoon during summer vacation and in the intense heat, we gathered in front of the nearest station, Hanshin Iwaya. From the station, we walked down the wide road heading toward the sea, turned right (west) at the corner of the Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art, and then, walked toward the third building from the Museum, JICA Kansai Center.

This year again, alongside our students, 4 international teacher-training students from Osaka Kyoiku University participated in the program. These students come from Malawi and Burkina Faso in Africa, Brazil in South America, and Malaysia in Asia, and they are all teachers in their home countries. JICA has Offices in all four of these countries, where JICA volunteers are dispatched to support local people in various ways, including improving their daily lives, education, and technical skills. Various technical development projects are also ongoing. Although all the international students participating this time know about JICA’s activities in their own countries, it was the first time for them to visit a domestic center in Japan. 

Some of the students participating this JICA Kansai visit have also participated in the “Overseas Training in New Zealand” during summer vacation. This shows that many students who are eager to learn about English and global issues. 

When I asked some of them about how they thought on the JICA Kansai visit, I heard very positive feedback like, “We learned about the life and conditions of local people and the support of JICA for developing countries from a lecturer who worked as a JICA volunteer in Ghana,” “This visit made me want to study English more deliberately,” and “During the exchange with the international students after the lecture, they asked questions like whether I am interested in JICA volunteers or which countries I want to visit in the future, which broadened my perspective.” 

I was really happy to hear such positive reactions.

In the Exhibition Room                              Playing various SDGs’ Games

JICA Kansai also has the DRLC (Disaster                             Former JICA Volunteer in Ghana explained about her activities,

Reduction Learning Center).                                                 daily life in small village and social issues in her duty station. 

                                                                                               Then, talked about her company selling locally made high

                                                                                                quality products from Ghana.

Talking with Tadala san from Malawi                                 Talking session with Isaac san from Burkina Faso

Felipys san from Brazil asked questions to students             Ended the visit feeling warmhearted.