Here we go!

The training of "Information, Education and Communication (IEC) in Health Sector" (B) for JFY2010 has started.


The 6 participants from 6 different countries have arrived on 11 or 12 January.
The actual training started yesterday on 17.

As the first class activity, we went to nearby Starbucks in San-A Kyozuka to buy the class mag (or tumbler).

Happy New Year and Welcome!

MTEC new participants were welcomed by a traditional event of mainland Japan, Mochitsuki (rice cake pounding).
Blessed by a warm and good weather, all participants had a great time.

Two MTEC participants were on the local paper on January 14, namely, Mr. Evan of 10Kumadai (or 10isd) from Fiji and Ms. Kolisi of 10iecb from Samoa were in the photo.

Reunion in South America (Uruguay)

MTEC has received the message via facebook.
It is a wonderful reunion! I hope this occurs to everyone!!
                                                                                                                   
Dear MTEC family,
Greetings from Uruguay, South America.
I´m a former OIC participant (DVP07).
During MTEC course, I became very good friend of some other participants.
Does this situation sound familiar to you?
After three years of coming back home, I still chat daily with them and consider their friendship as a treasure.
Last week we met again. David san (from Ecuador) and Martin san (from Argentina) came with their wives to visit my country and spend some time together again. We were able to feel again that close friendship we achieved in Japan.

But this is not only about taking dinner and talk a lot. This is also a chance to refresh and share knowledge.
What's the good thing about knowing new people at OIC? In my opinion, the chance of exchange ideas, strategies and different approaches to present issues in your own country.
We take this chance as an open door to keep improving our public work and knowledge, in order to help our people to have a better standard of living.
I encourage new and former OIC participants to create solid links with new international friends, so in the future we will have a stronger net of knowledge to share and help other people to improve themselves, to grow up. That's our aim.
We really feel like a family. We live in the same continent, and speak the same language. But you can make new family members around the world, and feel that family and Earth are the same size.
Thanks to JICA and specially OIC staff for making us feel as home in Japan, and showing that human exchange can be as important as academic knowledge.
Thanks Nana san for let me write this post.
Thanks Japan and all of us around the globe.

Gonzalo Alba (DVP07)

Do you remember him?

Summary of IEC(A) 2010

Check it out!!

Any influence on the training??

This morning, I felt wind chilly.
It could be because of Typhoon #14 Chaba.
The weather chart is like this:


I hope there is no influence on the training courses.

Typhoon #7 Kompasu

A typhoon, a tropical cyclone, is approaching Okinawa now. It is called Kompasu.

Because of this, there is no class after 10:00am.
10:00am??
Yes, classes in MTEC start at 9:30am, so it means the session today was just 30min.
Well, I, personally find no meaning to have class for 30 min.

No class never means the participants can go out.
They have to be locked in the dormitory. Though they can move between the dormitory and the welfare building, other activities are banned. Sorry...

Summary of 10dvp

Here a my version of photos from 10DVP group. Because I was engaged to other activities and responsibilities, I did not take as many photos as I had done for other group.
But there are still many, I hope I can say like this, so I hope you can enjoy viewing. Here we go!

Sanshin: Strings Of The Okinawan Soul

Welcome to MTEC!

The first group training of Japan's fiscal year 2010 started.
It is "Digital Video Production for Dissemination and Enlightenment".
There are five participants from five different countries, namely, Botswana, El Salvador, Thailand, Manmar and Kenya.
The course leader is Nishimura san and the training coordinator is Kiire san.

Just a summary of 09IEC(B)

Out of 1831 photos I took during 09IEC(B) Course, I made a photo album on Picasa.
Now that I got to know it is possible to make a link from Picasa to Blogger, why not try!



Sorry, there are only 420 photos here.
I hope you enjoy viewing them.

Oh, I should ask you... please do not complain if the number of your photo is less than someone else. This time, I did not count the number for everyone.

Farewell, Welcome, and Happy Birthday!

Farewell Party for 09IEC(B)

09IEC(B) group had their farewell party just by themselves and MTEC/JICE staffs.
There, our big brother and father made a touching speech. I asked for the script.
Here it goes:


REMARKS FROM THE PARTICIPANTS OF IEC(B) IN HEALTH SECTOR ON THE
CLOSING PARTY 15TH APRIL 2010

Chief Instructor, Tom Maekawa
Course Leader, Naoko Nakama
Course Coordinator, Terruya Naomi
MTEC Instructors and Colleagues
I feel honoured to have this opportunity to address this gathering of participants and instructors of IEC (B) in Health Sector 2009. This closing party is crucial because it provides opportunity for us to mutually discuss issues and share experiences with our instructors before we part to our countries.
Let me thank the organisers and sponsors of the course for without them we wouldn’t meet in this room today. Kindly therefore, extend our gratitude to JICA for the investments into our studies in Japan. I would also wish to record our appreciation to JICE particularly MTEC IEC instructors for their diligence and efforts to impart knowledge and skills on us and for the work well done. Some of us have attended several courses on these subjects but surely we have achieved new knowledge and skills during these three months stay. Your methods of facilitation are very fascinating and I think some of us will emulate. At this juncture, I would like to thank my fellow participants for their attendance and active participation for the whole three months.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
This party is timely organised. I say timely because every participant would like to socialise with instructors and also shake hands of fare well with them. Allow me, therefore, to say few things and our feelings about the course and our instructors. I’ll start by telling a very short story!
“A daughter tells her mother how everything is going wrong for her;
She probably failed her Math exam,
In times so sad, a good mother knows just the thing to cheer up her daughter... “I make a delicious cake.” In that moment the mother hugged her daughter and walked her to the kitchen, while her daughter attempted to smile
Her mother asks,
“Sweetheart, would you like a piece of cake?” Her daughter replies, “Sure,mom, you know how I love cake.” The mother prepared the utencils and ingredients,
The mother said, Alright Its ready; “Drink some of this cooking oil.” Shocked, the daughter responded, “What?!? No way! The mother continued; How about a couple of raw eggs?” The daughter responded, “Are you kidding?” “How about a little flour?” “No, mom,responded the daughter, I’ll be sick!”
The mother finaly said to her,
“All of these things are uncooked and taste bad, but if you put them together They make a delicious cake
Dear Instructors,
When we started we were very much worried! 1st of our families we left behind; and second, about the training; whether our expectations would be met, and also about what is that we are learning?
I’m sure you could see every one’s face on the first day when you begun instructions by issuing the Pre-test. Almost, two thirds of participants failed! But as parents you cheered us up and assured us not to worry! Knowing that we love the course as the way the daughter loved the cake, you distributed the Lesson Plan to us. Quickly we perused the curriculum as well the syllabus and on seeing the components and elements of the course, we became shocked! Many of us thought that adult learning does not need that many details. To us the curriculum painted the picture of the cooking oil, raw eggs and the flour. But thank you because even with our signs of not being ready you went on preparing the ingredients to bake the cake from Media literacy to PCM-PDM.
Nana and Naomi san! At times, when you were putting together the ingredients of the cake we were busy with computer monitors! We understand we have exerted too much pressure on your day to day tasks to the extent that we feel ashamed. Our memories are still full of the Tokyo trip where you put aside your role as instructors and coordinators and became more of mothers. In places you had to divide among yourselves to satisfy our personal interests, taking us long trips to other cities. We still remember our visits in Okinawa, in which we placed requests along the way and you would accept and change the route for us to view heritages. To you we feel very much indebted! Nevertheless, without your knowledge we learnt a lot from you! The Team spirit between you two is worth taping. We hope and wish this to continue throughout your working with JICE for the benefit of all future courses.
Tom san, Let us admit that at the beginning we thought we will be lost by your topics and instructions. But as we went along we could see light at the end of the tunnel, that ID and ISD was the cogwheel of the whole IEC course. Thank you for continuing building the cake, for even when we showed you plainly that we were losing interest you went on signalling that without these topics, achievement of our desired objectives will be questionable. Thank you so much for the patience and endurance.
Nashimura and Kiyuna san, we were all anxious to learn more about Digital Photo and Video shooting and editing. Many of us felt, the topics were new, long and hard to grasp. However your way of teaching; calmly, logically, step by step, we finally all got through. But we still feel that we over disturbed you, because each individual participant needed your assistance and assurance even after completion of your topics. So you would rush from one participant to another without a feeling of being tired. We thank you for your diligence, patience and helping hand.
Uramoto san, we have already said a lot about you. We thank you for always remembering us and your readiness to help, even though you’re away from MTEC.
Fumiyo and Yuka, always behind the good work, there people behind the scenes doing the donkey work. Fumiyo you have been behind what we are seeing today as a success! Yuka for these few days we stayed with you have demonstrated your ability to become a very good and unique instructor. To all of you we say keep it up and thank you for your corporation.
Colleagues,
Let me take this time now to remind you that the IEC in Health Sector cake is baked by our MTEC Instructors and is ready. For all of us to enjoy the sweetness of the cake, I request you to make this course a starter and catalyst to instigate us to use any means available to keep on learning and sharing experience about IEC. Let us use this course as a platform for networking; and let us assure our Instructors that no matter how bitter the ingredients of the cake will be in the field, we will always strive to demonstrate that we are specialist trained by MTEC; and do not give up easily. ARIGATO GOZAIMAS
SAYONARA!!!!!!!!!!!

Here is for you...

I made this again for 09iec(b) group!!

I hope everyone likes it, uses it, remembers us!

Welcome to MTEC

Two gone, but one joined.
From today, MTEC has a new instructor, Yuka Nakayama.

(In the photo above, Yuka is 4th from left)

She worked in Tanzania for two years in the field of HIV/AIDS act.
Here is her blog.

Isn't is wonderful to retain the skill of the local language (Swahili) after returning?

MTEC Newsletter No. 6

MTEC Newsletter No. 6 is just dispatched to you, fresh from Dreamweaver!

The URL is as follows.
http://mediacourse.jica-oic.jp/~newsletter/no_06.html

Have access and give us feedback!!

Just cannot believe this!

MTEC without you cannot be imagined!!
But it is true that you are leaving MTEC and start new career as a faculty of Okinawa International University.


I would like to take this opportunity to express my BIG appreciation for everything you did for us all and wish you the best of luck in your future.

Bula! A visitor from Fiji

We often have visitors, but mainly domestic.
Today, we had an international visitor from Fiji.
He, Mr. Noa has been participaiting a training sponsored by a Japanese private company.


Though we don't have anyone from Fiji, we exchanged for a while.
As a nation in Pacific, we have Tom from Marshall Islands, but Fiji and Marshall are not near.

Well, we hope Noa san will have a fruitful stay on Okinawa.

At a hotel lobby

09IEC(B)'s Observation Tour to Tokyo area. At the hotel lobby, Tina(Namibia) and Masaule started to sing and dance.


Can you imagine how we enjoyed Tokyo??

Bus tour to the North

Bus tour was arranged for our participants. It was to Okinawa Memorial Park, or Ocean Expo Park.
All participants joined the program.


(I will paste some photos taken by MTEC participants)

Dinner out, everyone!

To celebrate the end of January... or whatever, "Dinner Out" was held.
Kumadai participants (M1 and M2), 09IEC(B) participants and MTEC staffs went to "Daikon no Hana", where we had dinner about a year ago.

Hello, med students!

Welcome to MTEC, 09IEC(B) group"

The participants of 09IEC(B) group arrived.
The 10 participants arrive on different days, so the briefing session has been held for several times.

This time, the group has diversity, meaning 10 people from 10 different countries.
The training at MTEC will start on January 18, and the closing ceremony will be on April 21.
Like other previous groups, we wish you good health and good days in MTEC.

Mochitsuki - Rice cake pnding 2010

I found this video data on P drive. Thanks to the reporter... Sorry I don't know who took this video. But I'm sure someone in MTEC.

Presentation of the field research

Today, the Kumadai master 2 are having a presentation to Prof. Suzuki and Assistant Prof. Nemoto on their field researches.


Mr. Widianto Fanina Nur (Indonesia), Mr. Musopole Sakayi Musango, Mr. Miamba Paul Ungilamwagha Mwasikakata and Mr. Kwerengwe Stanley Daniel Adamson (Malawi) are finishing their research sooner and hopefully obtain Master's degree from Kumamoto University.

Last day in MTEC

I'm sure that many MTEC alumni got shocked to receive an e-mail today, saying it is her last day in MTEC.

Chiho Yoshida, an outstanding (and charming) instructor of MTEC, is leaving after working here for one and half years. After graduating from a university, she joined JOCV (Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteer) to work in Burkina Faso for two years. She stayed in MTEC for about a month as an intern before that.
Upon her return, she joined MTEC. She was in charge of many subjects, but what impressed us more was her activeness to enjoy the life. Playing badminton, diving, drinking, parties, etc.
Where there were happy MTEC participants, there was Chiho. Right?

After leaving us, she will return her home in mainland Japan. Then she has a plan to continue her study at a graduate school.
In the future, she says, she will be back to the field of international cooperation. So, everyone,
you can look forward to meeting her or working with her!

This is the very first post on Chiho in MTEC blog:
38. Message from other MTEC family in Burkina Faso

2009 International Festival

Thanks for waiting!
Here is the collection of performance at the 2009 International Festival.
The video was prepared by Chiho san. Thanks for your time and efforts!

Program
1. Asia (Costume show, Bamboo dance, and Bhutanese dance)
2. Africa (Costume show, Drama, and Cameroonian dance)
3. Latin America (Costume show and Dances)
4. Pacific (Costume show and Dances)

Now, it's show time!!!!!!!!!

1. Asia part 1 (Costmume show part 1 and Bamboo ance)


Asia part 2 (Costmume show part 2)


Asia part 3 (Bhutanese Dance)

2. Africa part 1 (Costume show)


Africa part 2 (Drama and Cameroonian Dance)


3. Latin America (Costume show and Dance)


4. Pacific (Costume show and Dance)

Video Shooting and Editing by 09msce

09ms participants have been learning video shooting and editing. Today, they are busy with practicals.

One group (Tshering, Chuda, Chris, Warito and Gilbert) is with Chiho san.




And the other group (Elba, Hemantha, Om, Samira, Nabraj and Dorji) is with Kiyuna san.




And the product is already Youtubed by Elba. With her permission, I embedded it here in our Blog. Gracias, Elba!

"Día de la Independencia"

September 15 is "Día de la Independencia", the Independence Day of El Salvador.

At the moment in MTEC, we have Elba from El Salvador. Congratulations!!

A New Year's greetings from Ethiopia

Through our alumni mailing list, we have received the new year's greeting from Mr. Moges Hiluf Abrha, Ethiopia. The card is so beautiful, so I put it here with his message.
As for your referece, the new year's day of Ethiopian calender falls on September 11 in Gregorian calendar.
The message reads:

Dear all OIC staff, ex-training participants
I wish you Happy and prosperous ehtiopian New Year!
Especially to 2004 trainees and Tokumura San
Regards,
Moges

Moges Hiluf Abrha
Training and Communication Specialist,
Rural Capacity Building Project (RCBP)Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MoARD)



Thank you, Moges san.
We wish you all the best, too.