What an impressive session - Community Involvement Approach

Community involvement has been an important issue in various activities. In health promotion, of course. We invited Dr. Nobuyuki Hyoi from Nationao Institute of Public Health for this topic.
I can bet that nobody was bored in the session from the very beginning to the last moment! The participants were so blessed to have this expert!

At the beginning of the session. Are they running around in the room? Well, the participants got involved right after Dr. Hyoi was introduced. This is called "ice breaking" to reduce the nervous and unfamiliar atmosphere between the lecturer and the audience.
Dr. Nobuyuki Hyoi, the GIANT!
In the group session... choosing the most serious health problem in their areas.

The audience are in the human knot. Do you know the significance of it?

And can you connect this to the community involvement?

The workshop on Bodymap. Another effective approach to the awareness of health.

A network making... by a string? Yes, but it can visualize the network construction by human being.

In this session, even the evaluation was made by dancing! True!

Thank you, Dr. Hyoi. We promise to apply what we've learned in your session to our daily job.

PCM (Project Cycle Management)

As the introductory subject of the final production, PCM workshop was provided.
PCM short for Project Cycle Management.
First, our big brother Tom gave a lecture on PCM. Analysis on problems in our institute was the issue in the workshop. We had a hot session on it!
Do you agree? Tell us the reason if you don't agree.
It was a good practice to be a facilitator too. Like Boi in this photo, some participants took turns to experience being a facilitator.
Look at those serious faces!
Sometimes Tom or Uramoto cut in the discussion to navigate to the right direction :)
Patta as the facilitator.
Did you enjoy being a facilitator, Ritah?
I forgot to drink my Coke...May.
Look at the board, not the camera :)

New Bloggers in 2008iec(b)

The participants of 2008IEC(B) have been encouraged to launch their own blog. Though it was a part of extra curriculum, some participants really like having one for own.

As you already know, one of the greatest aspect to have a blog is that you can continue to update even after you return home. If only you have an internet access, it is possible.

Now you are an owner of your blog. I hope you keep on posting. Don't worry even if you are lazy like me. Post whenever possible, then you'll see there are over 200 posts someday.

Here is the list. Just click on their name to access!

-Boitshoko (Botswana)
-Patta (Kenya)
-Grace (Kenya)
-Suzie (Namibia)
-Seyni (Niger)
-Sahadatou (Niger)
-Sita (Niger)
-May (Tanzania)
-Mosille (Tanzania)
-Ritah (Uganda)

I hope they keep on writing so that we get to know how they are doing!
Enjoy Blogging!

E-mail from a previous participant in Tanzania

So far since 1995, MTEC (including the period as AVT) has conducted nearly 90 training courses, accepting almost 850 participants from 89 nations.
We received an e-mail this morning from one of them in Tanzania, as a response to to the inquiry mail in alumni.

Thanx for the note.
I am 2002 August-Dec Course participant of Digital Video Production at OIC, since then the course has helped alot and have taught others. We have a small TV station at our University where I work. I am the Incharge of the station and All my staff are now convesant with non-linear video editing. Thanks alot!!

Juma S. Kachemela
DIGITAL VIDEO PRODUCTION COURSE 2002

Thanks, Kechamela san.We wish you and the TV station make fruitful success!

Med students visiting us

A group of med students of the University of the Ryukyus visited our institute.
Though the visit was very short and we didn't have time to exchange, we wish the best of luck in their future. Some of them may have an opportunity to work in Africa.

New Countries in MTEC

MTEC feels honored to have the very first participants from three countries: Namibia, Niger, and Uganda.


This is Suzie from Namibia. She is Chief Health Programme Administrator at Ministry of Health and Social Services.
From left to right: Yacouba, Sahadatou, and Sita. They are all health communicators at to Ministry of Health.
Ritah from Uganda. She is Media Relations and Publicity Officer at Ministry of Health.


We wish you the best of luck! Dozo yoroshiku!

Experiencing Japanese buffet dinner

As a welcome dinner out, 08IEC(B), Kumadai participants and MTEC staffs went to Daikon no Hana, a buffet restaurant in Urasoe City. It is a popular restaurant for local people for its healthy Japanese meals using a lot of fresh vegetables.


Some foods were totally new to the participants, so they had to ask "What's this?" before they became courageous to try something new.



Thank you for joining this event tonight! I hope you could touch the atmosphere of healthy foods of Okinawa and japan so that you also appreciate longevity!

Happy (lunar) New Year!

It is a new year's day in lunar calendar.Our training institute hosts an event to introduce a Japanese culture "Mochi Tsuki" - rice cake making.

The event was introduced in a local evening news on TV.


The participants were interviewed like this. How did feel to be interviewed?
Well, I hope our "Mochi" was yummy for you.
Other performance were there. "Shishi mai" or Lion dance is played to wish everyone luck.
Some staff also danced "Eisa", a traditional dance of Okinawa.

The first training week in OIC

08IEC(B) group has finished (or survived) their first training week.

I hope everyone is fine, both mentally and physically. The actual training started this week.

The subjects provided after the course orientation were:
-Case study of IEC activities
in Reproductive Health by Maekawa


-Media Literacy by Uramoto
-Multimedia Introduction by Uramoto
-Communication Skills by Uramoto

As you may remember well, there are a lot of group discussions required during the training. Mutual understanding, assertiveness, and respect are the keys to the success of the training!

Xie Xie, Tu tu!

Tu Aixia, or aka Tu tu, is a participant from China in 08iec(a).
Maekawa, our chief instructor, has been involved in the HIV/AIDS prevention project in Gansu Province there. Soon after the new year holiday, he was dispatched there and got to meet Tu tu.

Tu tu sent us a big package of souvenirs, and it was delivered today.
So many boxes of Chinese flower tea.
Tomoko (Tu tu's training coordinator), Chiho, and Fumiyo are in the photo with happy smile! Thanks or xie xie, we already enjoyed it so much.

08iecb's first outing to a mall nearby

There is "SAN-A Kyozuka City", a convenient mall newly opened near our institute.
Since its open in November 2008, many participants enjoyed shopping and dining there.
As one of the life orientation of MTEC (really??), we had the first group outing for lunch.

By the way, the cherry trees started in bloom in Okinawa. There are many cherry trees around.

Course Orientation - 08iec(b)

The time of IEC(B) course with MTEC started today.
As you remember, the Course Orientation, Pretest, Interview, and the first lecture on Action Plan was held.

From tomorrow, the actual training starts.
Wishing you fruitsful time with us!


At the interview:




At Pretest:

The 2nd and 3rd photos were taken and contributed by Fumiyo san, MTEC assistant.

266. The first week on Okinawa...

Right after arriving Okinawa, the participants have "Briefing" session.
For the iec(B) course, though, the participants arrive in three groups, the session is also held differently.

The joint Briefing session was presented by Ms. Midori Maekawa.
Also Midori san was in charge of the Briefing for Ms. Boitshoko (Botswana-left) and Ms. Suzie (Namibia-right).
The group of Nigerois, Mr. Yacouba(left), Ms. Sahadatou(Middle), and Mr. Sita(right).

Also on the week, the guidance session on MTEC LMS (Learning Management System) session is held by the course leader.
Sorry for the busy schedule...

265. Welcome to MTEC family

The fourth training couse in fiscal year 2008 (not 2009 yet) will start soon.
This is "Information, Education and Communication (IEC) in Health Sector (B)" Course.
The survey resulted in nominating nations in Africa for this course. Namely, Botswana, Kenya(2), Namibia, Niger(3), Tanzania(2), and Uganda.

263. As a husband and daddy

In a long history of MTEC (and AVT), it can be a very rare news.
We welcomed the wife and a son of Miamba Paul Ungilamwagha Mwasikakata (Paul san) in our office.
Well, we have known Paul as our participant, but today he showed us his other face as a husband and daddy.

We hope the family will have a memorable stay and reunion here in Okinawa.

262. New Year's message for 2009

Dear MTEC family and friends in the world,

Happy New Year 2009!

Sorry for the belated message.
Though another new year arrived, there are many conflicts and sad results around us.
Why?
I have kept asking without getting any answer.
But still, we must go on living our lives with one hope for the peaceful world.

Fortunately, we have you in MTEC family.
Let's make ourselves be seeds to spread wisdom to the entire world.

MTEC
Media Technology for Education and Communication,
Japan Int'l Cooperation Center