The Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCVs) today paid a courtesy call on H.E. the Deputy President William Ruto at his official residence in Karen. JOCV is one of JICA’s programs aiming at providing technical assistance in developing countries at the grassroots level. In attendance was the Japanese Ambassador to Kenya, H.E. Tatsushi Terada and JICA Kenya’s Chief Representative, Mr Hideo Eguchi.
The purpose of this courtesy call was to brief H.E. Ruto on current JOCV activities in Kenya as well as to commemorate the Program’s 50th Anniversary in Kenya. The first Volunteers were dispatched to Kenya in 1966, and since then more than 1600 have worked in Kenya in various fields.
The Volunteers support JICA’s five main thematic areas of Health, Agriculture, Human Resource Development, Economic Infrastructure and Environment and Water. There are currently 57 volunteers deployed across the country, working together with counterparts to build the capacity of the host organisation and living with the local communities.
The Volunteers had an opportunity to present their activities and experiences working mainly in rural Kenya, where they use their creativity to inspire others and act as a bridge between Japan and Kenya.
