summary
Conference Title: Joint Return Home Debriefing by the FY2023 ABE Initiative Returned Trainees from Six Southern African Countries
Date: Friday, February 16, 2024
Organized by JICA
Location:Online
Main Participants
ABE Initiative, SDG Global Leadership Course Returnee Trainee
Trainees in the same school
Japanese companies in Japan
Japanese Companies in South Africa
Japanese Embassy officials in Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana and South Africa
Officials from six southern African countries
Officials from JICA Africa Division, South Africa Office, Zimbabwe Branch, Namibia Branch, Botswana Branch
Background and Objectives
This year marks the 11th year of the ABE Initiative (African Business Education Initiative for Youth), which has been implemented since 2014. This program provides young Africans with opportunities to study in Japanese graduate schools and intern at Japanese companies to develop local human resources that Japanese companies doing business in Africa seek, and to discover local human resources who can serve as pioneers for Japanese companies entering the African market in the future. The purpose of this program is to contribute to the promotion of Japanese economic activities in Africa and to the revitalization of the African economy.
The returning trainees from six countries in Southern Africa (Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, South Africa, and Lesotho) who participated in the ABE Initiative and the SDG Global Leadership Course in FY2023 and obtained degrees in Japan will present their achievements and activities after returning to their home countries, and exchange and build business networks with Japanese companies and current trainees. A joint online debriefing session was held with the aim of building business networks and exchanges with returning and current trainees.
Contents
A total of approximately 130 people participated in this briefing session online, including 13 Japanese companies in Japan and South Africa, returning and current trainees, local government officials, and Japanese embassies.
First, six returnee trainees from different countries took the stage to report on their experiences in Japan and their current activities. One returned trainee used his internship in Japan as an opportunity to start his own business importing used cars from Japan, while another returned trainee, after receiving a master’s degree from the ABE Initiative, came back to Japan under a different program to work on improving the living standards of the disabled and to pursue a doctoral degree, D., who is working to improve the standard of living for people with disabilities.
Next, Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. introduced a new business project by a Japanese company to develop an asset management business by lending motorcycles to Mobility as a Service (MaaS) operators in Africa, which provide sharing, cab, and logistics services, as well as employment opportunities for local riders. -In addition, the company introduced a new business that aims to create job opportunities through the employment of local riders.
JICA ex-trainees presenting the results of their study abroad
Group Manager, Mobility Services Division, Yamaha Motor Co.
Group photo with JICA ex-trainees from South Africa
Group photo with JICA ex-trainees from Botswana
After the above presentations, the participants in South Africa and Botswana held breakout sessions, where they exchanged opinions face-to-face with each other.
At the debriefing session on South Africa, a trainee who recently returned to Japan shared his memories of his stay in Japan and the various experiences he had while living in a different culture after beginning his studies at university. A trainee from Eskom, a South African state-owned electric power company, reported that he majored in engineering when he was a student in order to cope with the serious power shortage that the country is currently facing, and that he was able to acquire not only theoretical but also practical skills that he is now using in his work at the company.
At the debriefing session in Botswana, in view of the importance of the private sector, presentations were made by faculty members of the International University of Technology Botswana, who participated in JICA’s “Resource Bonding” program, and the Director General of the Ministry of Entrepreneurship, who participated in an invitation program to Japan this month, and opinions were exchanged on how to promote entrepreneurship in the country in the future.
In addition to South Africa and Botswana, Zimbabwe and Namibia are also considering initiatives to revitalize alumni associations to strengthen the network of returning trainees.
© Source JICA
Auto Amazon Links: No products found.
Auto Amazon Links: No products found.