Japanese Volunteers join at grass root Development Efforts
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- Published on Monday, 06 February 2012 12:23
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Three Japanese volunteers have arrived in Sri Lanka recently with the aim of providing their expertise to improve and add value to activities carried out by various public institutions in the country. These volunteers are in Sri Lanka as a part of JICA’s ongoing Volunteer Dispatch Programme. The volunteers were introduced to their host organizations at an assigning ceremony held at the Department of External Resources on 1st February 2012.
The three volunteers possess a variety of skills covering several technical fields including
ceramics, early childhood education and development (ECED), and caring for the elderly . Mr
Makoto Kageyama, who specializes in the field of ceramics has previously worked in Sri Lanka,
and on this occasion, would support practical training activities at the University of Visual and
Performing Arts in Colombo. Ms Makiko Kimura who is a specialist in ECED would provide her
expertise to the Wayamba Pre-school Teacher Training College in Kurunegala, while social worker, Mr Masayuki Fukuda would be assigned to the Department of Social Services of the North
Western Province, to work in support of programmes aimed at improving the health of the elderly.
The strengths of JICA’s volunteers are their practical approach to problem solving, and their grasp
of local languages, which enables them to interactively communicate with the local people. These
volunteers use extremely creative means of communication, which is essential for effective
teaching and training. They are able to positively influence those whom they work with due to their
attitudes, strong sense of discipline and high emphasis on team work. These volunteers not
only transfer technical skills, but also share knowledge on cultural aspects, and most importantly,
build strong and long lasting friendships with local people that outlast their stay in Sri Lanka.
There are altogether 41 volunteers who are currently working in Sri Lanka. Since the inception of JICA’s Volunteer Dispatch Programme to the country in 1981, a total of 858 volunteers have worked in the country, and their contribution towards development activities at grass-root level is greatly valued by those organizations that have benefited from their services
