Director’s New Year Message

T he Japan Ex-Participants Alumni of Kenya (JEPAK) conducted a dental clinic

medical camp at Kodiaga, North Gem Division, Siaya District, on the October 11, 2008. The theme of the camp was ‘Extending Basic Dental Health Care Access to Rural

Communities’. This was held after a very successful general medical camp that was held at the Kawangware slums Nairobi, in 2007. The dental camp was conducted in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Dental Association and the University of Nairobi’s School of Dental Sciences.

The purpose of the camp was to make a contribution to Kenya’s quest towards basic health care for all and the realization of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) numbers 4, 5 and 6.

All set objectives for the Dental Medical Camp such as the transfer

and installation of temporary dental clinics, mobilization of highly qualified medical personnel up to the task and successful tooth extractions (133 in total) were met.

JEPAK Conducts Community Outreach Dental Clinic

A dentist extracts a tooth during the Dental Camp.

The camp made a contribution to Kenya’s

quest towards basic health care for all and the realization of Millennium

Development Goals.

F irst of all, I would like to share with you the beginning of a very promising year 2009.

In Kenya, 2009 has started in a very peaceful and quiet manner as has been in other ordinary years. On behalf of all the JICA staff, I wish to congratulate the country where peace and stability has resumed after unprecedented suffering experienced by many Kenyans in the beginning of year 2008.

The world is currently on the verge of a financial hitch triggered

by the collapse of mega financial institutions in the US. The impact has been so devastating that most of the world economies have plunged into financial crises. Although the effects of this global financial catastrophe are yet to be felt in Kenya, the aftermath has steadily been encroaching into every corner of our social lives through, for example, the slump of prices for export commodities like coffee and tea and the drop of remittance from overseas relatives.

Under this thick cloud, however, a ray of light is also felt. On January 20th, the world witnessed a new era of orderliness with the inauguration of the 44th President of US, Mr. Barack Obama, hailed as ‘a son of Kenya’. There is no reason to restrain Kenyans from expecting the world to become a better place

to live in. However, it is also evident that Kenya has a variety of issues to correct before getting maximum benefits from better relations to be initiated by President Obama’s new administration.

As stated in the New Year remarks made by JICA’s President, Madam Ogata, it seems that new JICA has sailed into troubled waters. Issues for JICA to tackle range from global climate change, poverty alleviation, food crises, human security to employment creation. We as staff of JICA will exert all the energy and devotion so that the pains of ordinary Kenyans are lessened.

Finally, I assure you that JICA Kenya will achieve better in 2009 from every aspect of our activities, maximizing advantages emanating from the integration of our financial and technical cooperation programs.

We as staff of JICA will exert all the energy and devotion so that the pains of ordinary people in Kenya

are lessened.

Mr. Yoshiyuki Takahashi, ChiefRepresentative, JICA Kenya.

Published by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Kenya Office P.O. Box 50572-00200, Nairobi, Kenya Tel: (254-20) 2724121-4, Fax: (254-20) 2718202.

E-mail: ky-oso-rep@jica.go.jp Website: http://www.jica.go.jp/kenya/index.html

JOCV in the Fight Against HIV/AIDs

of Health to work with District AIDS and STI Coordinators (DASCO). The volunteers support DASCO and other health staff to enhance HCT services through coordinating mobile Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) and giving counsellors and health staff advice on improvement of service quality. The volunteers also collaborate with local youth groups to conduct HIV prevention education in schools and to the community. A volunteer attached to Kenya AIDS NGO Consortium (KANCO) Mr. Hirobumi Miki, has been supporting KANCO’s project targeting youths on HIV prevention and promoting school peer education program.

A group member, Ms. Dorothy Mukuazi, says peer education is the most effective way to spread the HIV prevention messages among the youth because they (the youth) have a common understanding about sexual issues.

The group visits their peers and sometimes holds seminars during which they discuss HIV prevention methods particularly behaviour change. Since the peer educators practice what they teach, they become effective role models for the youth.

T he Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) in collaboration with JICA, has been conducting a

regional training programme entitled ‘Enhancing Adoption of Social Forestry in Africa’ for many years. This programme draws participants from 18 countries in eastern, central and southern Africa.

Participants learn skills on enhancing adoption of social forestry in the areas of knowledge for technical development and adoption of social forestry; facilitation skills

Final TCTP for Kenya Forestry Research Institute

‘The Government of Kenya has officially requested the Government of Japan for

assistance in implementing a new forestry Project

named ‘Mitigating Climate Change in Africa Through

Social Forestry’.

Another volunteer, Ms. Ai Kobayashi is currently working with another peer education group to help them enhance their activities.

Since the needs of supporting HIV/AIDS vary, the JICA Volunteer Program in Kenya has tried to respond to a variety of requests wherever possible rather than restricting activities in HIV prevention initiatives only. For instance, a volunteer skilled in dress making has been working for a CBO in Meru which provides several services on HIV/AIDS prevention and care to give vocational training to young women affected by HIV/AIDS. She has developed goods made out of fabric and produced them with her students and women in the community to raise funds for sustainable activities to help generate income.

to work with farmers and other resource stakeholders; institutional strategies and guidelines, and linkages and information sharing with stakeholders.

The last course was held in November - December 2008. During the opening ceremony which was officiated by the Minister for Forestry and Wildlife Hon. Dr. Noah Wekesa, he noted that the Government of Kenya had officially

requested the Government of Japan for assistance in implementing a new Phase entitled ‘Mitigating Climate Change in Africa Through Social Forestry.’ This is currently under consideration.

“This course has been exemplary. There is none like it that I know of,” said Mr. Mukolwe, the KEFRI training manager about the adoption of Social Forestry in Africa Course.

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Course participants listening to the Minister for Forestry and Wildlife, Hon. Dr. Noah Wekesa, during the official opening of the course.

The volunteers also collaborate with local

youth groups to conduct HIV prevention education

in schools and to the community.

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January 2009Invigorating Assistance to Developing Countries

I n the conformance with TICAD IV Conference held in Yokohama, Japan in May

2008, JICA jointly with Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) launched a new comprehensive initiative _ the Coalition for African Rice Development (CARD), which aims at doubling African rice production in the next 10 years.

The First General Meeting of CARD was convened in Nairobi on 29th to 31st October 2008. The meeting was attended by 61 participants from 28 organizations which are interested in rice development through harmonizing on-going programmes and initiatives to create synergy effects and double current rice production in sub-Saharan Africa by 2018. This will contribute to food security and rural development under the vision of promoting an ‘African Green Revolution’.

The CARD meeting was officially opened by the Minister for Agriculture, Hon. William Ruto.During the opening, Mr. H.E. Shigeo Iwatani, the Japanese Ambassador to Kenya, said that the proposal to help the African continent to double its production of its main crops within the next five to 10 years had featured prominently at key meetings including the G8 Summit held in July 2008 and the FAO, high level meeting held in the same year. He

said the CARD initiative would help to realize the global food agenda.

The meeting appointed Dr. Namanga Ngongi (President of AGRA), as the Director of the CARD Secretariat. Kenya was among the first group of countries selected to gain support from the CARD initiative.

The CARD initiative comes at a time when the world is grappling with spiraling food prices that have forced major exporting regions such as Asia to ban trade in rice, threatening millions of people, especially in Africa, with a serious food shortage.

It is hoped that CARD will accelerate rice production to reduce Africa’s reliance on expensive rice imports through the development and distribution of resilient new varieties, and support of investment in agricultural research and rural infrastructure, which are the major objectives of the initiative.

According to Mr. Kenzo Oshima, Senior Vice President of JICA and leader of JICA’s delegation to CARD, although Asia and Africa are climatically different, Africa could learn from Asia’s long and diverse experience in rice production.

During the seminar, a side event was held to explore the possibilities of promoting efficient and effective promotion of renewable energies in Africa.

Coalition for African Rice Development Kicks Off

J ICA dispatches volunteers (JOCV) to work in various sectors. In the health sector

in Kenya, JOCVs are involved in HIV/AIDs awareness programs. Currently volunteers are deployed to various districts in Kenya. They assist local people to address their challenges of HIV/AIDS through

JOCV in the Fight Against HIV/AIDs

health education and quality improvement of HIV counseling and testing (HCT) services. They also support local authorities and NGOs in planning and monitoring of HIV prevention activities.

JOCV members have been dispatched to District Medical Offices

A Kenyan delegation comprising senior officials from the government and the

private sector paid a visit to Japan from October 26th to November 6th, 2008 through the invitation of JICA and the Embassy of Japan.

The delegation to Japan came in the wake of the new impetus to promote trade between the two countries that was created during the TICAD (IV) Summit held in Tokyo, Japan, in May 2008.

The purpose of the trip was to allow players in the cut flower industry in Kenya to explore new markets in Japan as well as familiarize themselves with the Japanese market requirements.

Kenya’s long history in the flower industry makes it a world leader both in production and quality. Flowers from Kenya are known for their longevity and bright colours.

With annual gross sales of US$ 10 billion, the Japan flower market is the

second largest in the world. Imports of cut flowers to Japan have been increasing steadily for last the 10 years. As a result of the huge demand, Asia’s largest flower exhibition, IFEX, is organized annually in Tokyo.

The Japan market places issues of quality in high regard hence the strict

Kenyan Delegation to Japan Promotes Cut Flower Trade

phyto-sanitary requirements. It is worth noting that there is a huge potential for Kenya’s cut flowers in the Japanese market. A number of Kenyan flower producers have already penetrated the market in the last few years. For example, in the year 2006, Kenya exported more than

11 million stems of roses. The same year, Kenya’s cut flower export to Japan was valued at US$4,817,181.

In the face of the huge potential existing, as well as the challenge to meet the requirements of the market, it is expected that the delegation got an opportunity to familiarize itself with the market, by visiting the International Flower Expo, (IFEX), the Flower Auction, and the Quarantine Inspection Unit at the Osaka International Airport.

The members of the delegation were drawn from the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Trade in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the Horticultural Crops Development Authority (HCDA), the Kenya Plant Health Inspection Service, (KEPHIS) and the Export Promotion Council, (EPC).

A media briefing on cut flower promotion at the Ministry of Agriculture.

A volunteer announces to villagers to visit a free mobile VCT clinic.

The first CARD meeting at the African Institute for Capacity Development (AICAD). Inset: Minister for Agriculture, Hon. William Ruto and Mr. Kenzo Oshima, Senior Vice President of JICA during the meeting.

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JICA in collaboration with the Ministry of Higher Education and national polytechnics organized the first ever robot contest in Kenya on November 29th, 2008 at the Kenya Polytechnic University College.

The event was graced attended by Prof. Crispus Kiamba, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology. The contest involved

First Robot Contest Heldthe four national polytechnics (Kenya, Mombasa, Kisumu, & Eldoret), and the Kenya Technical Teachers’ College.

It is expected that the contest will spur technical institutions into entrenching automation in the curriculum and lead to the initiation of research on robotics thus leading to an increase in technological innovations.

The next Robot Contest has tentatively been slated for September 2009. It will include participation from other technical training institutions as well as universities. The Ministry of Higher Education, Science & Technology has pledged its support for the next contest as this is a positive method of arousing interest of young Kenyans in robotics and technology.

Exhibitors showcase their robot during the Robot Exhibition at the Kenya Polytechnic. Inset: Prof. Crispus Kiamba, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology gives a speech.