Departing Japanese volunteers thanked for development efforts

The contribution of technical skills and volunteer spirit of Japan’s Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV) has continued to strengthen people-to-people connections with Laos amid the challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Five volunteers paid a farewell courtesy visit online to the Ministry of Planning and Investment’s Department of International Cooperation Director General, Mrs Sisomboun Ounavong, on November 22.

The volunteers were part of a delegation led by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Laos Office Senior Representative, Ms Akiko Sanada.
As they prepare to depart Laos, they expressed confidence in opportunities for further improvements at their respective host organisations.
Sharing their experiences were volunteers Ms Katto Hitomi (Japanese language education at Savannakhet University’s Faculty of Linguistics, Department of Japanese Language); Mr Aonuma Kurando (PC instruction at the Department of Tourism in Luang Prabang province); Ms Mizoguchi Nozomi (environmental education at the Luang Prabang World Heritage Office); Ms Takabayashi Miki (community development at the Department of Agriculture in Luang Prabang); and Ms Ushiku Maho (physical education at the Department of Education and Sports, in Vientiane).  
Mrs Sisomboun thanked the volunteers for having come to Laos and worked in the country during the pandemic.
She acknowledged that it was quite challenging to persevere under the restrictions imposed during the virus outbreak and said she was glad they had been able to work in Laos safely.
She also thanked the government of Japan and JICA for their commitment to support Laos, particularly through the JOCV programme. The five volunteers are set to complete their missions in Laos and return to Japan between December 2 and 10.
They returned to Japan in March 2020 temporarily after the pandemic hit and came back to Laos in December last year.
During their nine-month stay in Japan, they met with their counterparts online to continue activities.
Speaking on behalf of JICA, Ms Sanada expressed great appreciation to the Lao government and people of Laos for always warmly welcoming Japanese volunteers and especially amid the challenges posed by the pandemic.
The dispatch of Japanese volunteers to Laos is set to continue, with JICA and the government of Japan paying close attention to strengthening the capacity of Laos to address its socio-economic development needs. The JOCV programme is managed by JICA. More than 1,021 volunteers have been dispatched from Japan via Official Development Assistance to Laos since 1965.
Japan continues to respond to partner country needs by supporting socio-economic development by dispatching both junior and senior volunteers through the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers Programme.

By Times Reporters
  (Latest Update November 26, 2021)