VOLUNTEERISM AS A FORCE FOR

DEVELOPMENT
By Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers
2016 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee
Delivered by
Ms. Kae Yanagisawa,
Vice President of JICA
Ms. Rina Tanaka,
Former Volunteer of JOCV
Dr. Kenichi Kubota,
Former Volunteer of JOCV
Presented at the 58th Ramon Magsaysay Awards Lecture Series
1 September 2016, Manila, Philippines

Overview
(Ms. Kae Yanagisawa, Vice President of JICA)
Today we talk about JOCV program. Our lecture is divided into three
parts. First, as a representative of the Japan International Cooperation
Agency (JICA), I will present an overall picture of the JOCV program.
Then, two ex-volunteers will share their individual experiences in
Bangladesh and the Philippines as well as their thoughts about
volunteerism.

Copyright 2016 Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation

The JOCV program started in 1965; one year after Japan joined the
Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and
hosted the Tokyo Olympic Games. These two events demonstrated
Japans strong commitment to becoming a free and advanced nation as it
recovered from the devastation of the Second World War. By 1965,
Japan had become the fourth largest economy in the world, thanks to its
rapid economic growth throughout the 1960s.
At the same time, however, the rest of Asia was still trapped in poverty.
According to data from the World Bank, the average per capita income
of Asian and Pacific developing countries in 1965 was US$ 99, whereas
that of Sub-Saharan Africa was US$ 157. Recognizing that its prosperity
was inseparably tied to the development of the rest of Asia, Japan
believed that it was crucial for it to support Asian countries in their
efforts to eradicate poverty. More importantly, Japan was committed to
restoring trust among Asian countries and contributing to peace
throughout the world.
Against this background, the JOCV program was created in the hope
that Japanese youth would be able to add value to Japans existing
government-led development assistance. The program had three
objectives: to contribute to the development of the host country; to
promote friendship between Japan and the host country through peopleto-people exchanges; and to help Japanese youth develop a global
vision.
It should be noted that when the program started the concept of
volunteerism was not well understood in Japanese society. Japan had a
long history of providing mutual help, but normally such help was not
extended beyond community boundaries. Nevertheless, it was hoped that
Japanese youth would respond to the call of their government based on
the spirit of volunteerism.

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The first five volunteers landed in Laos in December 1965. Sometime

later, more volunteers were deployed to Cambodia, Malaysia, Kenya,
and the Philippines. In February 1966, twelve volunteers arrived in the
Philippines.
Since then, more than 41,000 volunteers have been deployed to eightyeight countries located in Asia and the Pacific, the Middle East, Africa
and Latin America. More than 12,000 volunteers have worked, or are
currently working, in Asia. Of this number, around 1,600 have been
based in the Philippines. Despite Japans low ranking in terms of gender
equality, 58 percent of our current volunteers are female.
Our volunteers serve in a wide variety of fields, ranging from education,
health, sports, and agriculture to social welfare. Their individual
assignments such as nursing care, teaching science and math, and
coaching volleyball are also varied, requiring as many as one hundred
different skills.
The JOCV program has been built on the broad-based participation of
youth from all parts of Japan. JICA, as the implementing agency for
Japans Official Development Assistance (ODA), is tasked with acting
as the facilitator of the program. JICAs field offices consult with the
host countries to identify the areas in which Japanese volunteers are
needed. Based on these consultations, JICA proceeds with the
recruitment, selection and pre-departure training of the volunteers.
While the volunteers are in service, the field offices monitor their
activities and provide support when needed. After the volunteers have
completed their service, which is normally two years, JICA assists them
in finding a job.

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Last year, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the 2030
Agenda for Sustainable Development with the ambitious target of
leaving no one behind. This target implies that development should
be inclusive and its fruits should reach all corners of society.
Volunteering is one of the activities most suited to achieving the target.
In order to work at the forefront of society and solve problems faced by
host communities, JOCV volunteers are trained to speak local languages
and understand local culture. As a result, they are able to communicate
with local people with ease.
Having said that, volunteers are notand nor should they bethe main
actors in development. Development should stem from the local society,
communities and people. The role of volunteers is to motivate people
and facilitate change in their host organizations and communities. As
outsiders, it is not easy for them to do so, but JOCV volunteers try to
listen to the opinions of their colleagues and members of the local
community in order to find solutions that they will be able to implement
together.
Creativity, innovativeness, and flexibility are competences that
volunteers are desirably endowed with in pursuing their assignments.
They normally work with limited financial, material and human
resources and thus try to adjust their skills and knowledge to local
conditions. For example, volunteers who work at schools invent teaching
equipment using locally available materials, while nurses try to make
small improvements by introducing methods of keeping hospitals clean
and organized. These approaches are chosen with the aim of making the
changes sustainable, even after the volunteers have returned to Japan.
In another case, a volunteer assigned to a water cooperative discovered
that the greatest barrier to the collection of water fees was the low
income of its members. He launched income generating activities with

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the local community to improve its livelihood, thereby improving the fee
collection rate.
We found that these acts of volunteers are driven by never-ending
passion: passion to help others. Needless to say, this is exactly the spirit
of volunteerism.
In this way, the first objective of the JOCV programto contribute to
the development of the host countriesis being pursued. The second
objective of people-to-people exchanges is a natural by-product of
volunteer activities. People in the host communities are exposed to
Japanese values, such as hard work, punctuality and team work. More
importantly, they have a chance to get acquainted with ordinary
Japanese youth who are somewhat different from the stereotype
Japanese that they have come to know through films and books.
Similarly, JOCV volunteers learn a lot from the host countries and
communities. They learn different values in terms of the worklife
balance as well as indigenous skills and knowledge. As a result, they
realize the importance of respecting diversity in culture and values. This
is how Japanese youth develop a global vision.
Finally, I would like to conclude my speech by discussing the notion of
mutuality. JOCV volunteers want to help others, but in the end they
find that they in turn are helped by the host communities. If we look at it
from a wider perspective, we find that volunteer work is not a one-sided
activity provided by Japan to developing countries; the experience we
gain in the developing countries is also applicable to the revitalization of
Japans economy and society. I think the beauty of volunteerism lies in
this mutuality.

Copyright 2016 Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation

Volunteering as a Life-changing Experience

(Ms. Rina Tanaka, Former Volunteer of JOCV)
In September 2012, I joined the JOCV program after working five years
as a nurse in Japan. I decided to join the program because I wanted to
help deliver medical care to patients in developing countries who dont
have access to adequate treatment. I was assigned as to provide care for
patients with lymphatic filariasis in Bangladesh.
Lymphatic filariasis is a neglected tropical disease. It receives very little
attention despite the huge number of people afflicted with it. While there
are no recorded cases of filariasis in humans in Japan, more than one
hundred million people are infected with the disease worldwide.
Rangpur District in northern Bangladesh has a particularly large number
of people afflicted with filariasis compared to other areas of the country.
Measures such as the mass administration of vaccinations to prevent the
disease have led to a decrease in the number of new cases of infection.
However, sufferers already experiencing its symptoms must cope for the
rest of their lives with a disease that cannot be completely cured.
At that time, there were 1,573 cases of filariasis in Taraganj Upazila,
Rangpur, which had a total population of 157,000. I traveled around the
villages with local government workers in charge of public health in
Taraganj. We hosted regular gatherings to teach patients how to manage
their symptoms on a day-to-day basis. My aim as a volunteer was to
prevent their symptoms from worsening and to help them to live
comfortably.
Filariasis is caused by parasitic larvae which have been deposited in the
body by mosquitos entering the lymphatic system. Its symptoms include
the swelling of body parts, such as the feet and genitals, and this is
accompanied at times by pain. As reflected by its other name

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"elephantiasis"people afflicted with the disease often face

discrimination and prejudice due to dramatic changes in their
appearance.
Many sufferers have given up hope of their condition ever improving.
The disease is rarely fatal, but at the same time there is no medicine
which can completely cure it. When we visited the villages, we were
often told, "If you're going to come, bring us medicine. You have
medicine, right?" I would then reply by saying, "Look, there is no
medicine to cure this. I wish I could bring you medicine, but there is
none."
While the disease cannot be fully cured, it is possible to stop the
symptoms from worsening by keeping the affected area clean and doing
regular exercise. Patients develop a positive outlook on life, and the
attitude of those around them changes too. Our hopes of making
filariasis sufferers aware of this encouraged us to be persistent in our
efforts to get through to those living with the disease and persuade them
to come to the monthly meetings at the community clinic.
The sessions began with checking the participants' blood pressure. This
is not directly related to management of the disease but its an effective
way of encouraging people to come to the meetings, because blood
pressure checks normally cost 10 Taka (US$ 0.13) a time at a hospital.
By introducing such elements to the meetings, we made patients feel like
they were getting an additional benefit while also conducting useful
health checks. After the blood pressure checks, the clinic workers and I
would measure the size of the patients' affected areas using a tape
measure to find out if the symptoms had worsened since the last
meeting. A medical record was kept for each patient and their condition
was explained to them.

Copyright 2016 Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation

Care for patients starts with maintaining the cleanliness of the affected
areas. Keeping the feet clean prevents an unpleasant smell being emitted
from between the toes. Some patients told us that even their own family
wouldn't get close to them because of the smell. So we told them that
they needed to wash their feet properly if they wanted to enjoy spending
time with their family.
Because of the efforts of local government workers, patient support
meetings in this area continued. The workers played a significant role,
visiting each of the communities they supervised by bicycle to raise
awareness about filariasis patient support groups and vaccinations. Their
passionate efforts to raise awareness moved the hearts of the patients.
While the patients were used to people not wanting to touch their
affected areas, the clinic workers washed them carefully. For the first
time, patients found out that with the right care, they could prevent their
symptoms from getting worse. They got together with people who
shared the same concerns as them. As they gathered experience and
knowledge, they built up the confidence needed to tackle the illness.
One of the members of the group was a woman in her sixties who had
lived with filariasis symptoms since her twenties. She had done nothing
about it until joining the group. Each time she came, she would ask for
medicine, but the last few times she stopped asking. Then one day, she
was the very first to answer when Mr. Dutta asked the group why they
thought that care is necessary, saying loudly, "If we don't keep the
affected areas clean, the symptoms will get worse." Patients brought
along new patients, and more and more people learnt about the meetings
by word of mouth.
At the end of the meeting, all the participants joined in seven types of
simple exercises, such as rotating or stretching their ankles. Although
they may have felt shy, the participants took it in turns to come out to

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the front and lead the exercises. I hope that one day the patients will be
able to organize and run meetings like this themselves.
Before joining the JOCV program, I studied acute-phase nursing at
graduate school. However, my interests currently lie in community
healthcare and home-visit nursing. Unlike nursing at facilities with
cutting-edge equipment and highly trained staff, care in these fields is
provided in less than ideal conditions.
There are similarities to providing care in developing countries. The
important thing is to think about what can be done with what is available
and how both patients and healthcare workers can stay motivated. In
Bangladesh, I discovered that it is this passion that gives the patients the
strength to live.
I believe I am very lucky to have the opportunity to meet some
Bangladeshi people for whom I have great respect. They have the drive
and determination to get on their bicycles each day and get in touch with
the people of the community. I am confident that I can put my
experiences in Bangladesh to good use when I work in home-visit
nursing and community health care back in Japan.
Volunteering as a Lifelong Pursuit
(Dr. Kenichi Kubota, Former Volunteer of JOCV)
The JOCV program started in the Philippines as early as 1966. I was
dispatched to the Philippines in 1980. Ever since then, I have regarded
myself as a genuine member of the JOCV community of volunteers.
Last year, I attended the 50th anniversary of the JOCV program in
Yokohama. At the ceremony, I met many volunteer alumni from all over
Japan. They take great pride in having served as overseas volunteers,
and I am truly one of them. By joining the JOCV, I was able to enjoy

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some invaluable experiences in the Philippines. I identify myself as a

lifelong volunteer dedicated not only to the Philippines, but also to our
global society as a whole.
After seven years of teaching at a Japanese high school, I joined the
JOCV program and was dispatched to the Philippines in 1980. I was
assigned to promote science teacher training at the Technological
University of the Philippines (TUP), which is located in Manila.
However, soon after arriving in Manila, I contracted dengue fever. I then
got Hepatitis A from eating fresh oysters. I was so shocked that I had to
stay in bed for several weeks. However, this actually helped me to adjust
to Filipino culture. Japanese people are always in a hurry, but observing
how Filipino people live their everyday lives taught me the importance
of starting slowly when immersing yourself in a different culture.
I was in the second group at the TUP, and five Japanese volunteers were
working together at that time. The first group of volunteers had prepared
the next training program, so it was easy for me to work with the
Filipino teachers. In addition, my Filipino counterparts were friendly and
supportive. I introduced some science experiments that were not
conducted very often in high schools. My relationship with the Filipino
teachers was very enjoyable. Sometimes, we would go and eat some
merienda together in the cafeteria. I love the Filipino people and
understood the importance of international cooperation. At the end of
my assignment, I decided that my future should be directed toward
educational development in developing countries.
Most ex-volunteers felt that we learned a lot from our host countries, so
many of us said that we would like to do something in return for the host
country. Before I describe my own volunteer experiences, I would like

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to introduce a few ex-volunteers who continue to feel a great deal of

gratitude toward their host country.

Michio Suzuki went to the Philippines as a volunteer in 1970.

Having lived in Manila for over 40 years, he has continued to participate
in volunteer work, such as cleaning Rizal Park every month.

Hirohisa Kikuchi, who worked with me at the TUP, changed his

career to become a medical doctor. He now works at a clinic in Makati.

Kei Fukunaga worked for Japan-Bangsamoro Initiatives for

Reconstruction and Development (J-BIRD) as the first secretary at the
Embassy of Japan. He focused his efforts on contributing to the
promotion of peace activities in Mindanao.

Kenji Endo became a diplomat and he was assigned to a number of

different countries. He became the consul at the Embassy of Japan in
Manila, which allowed him to promote partnerships between Japan and
the Philippines.

Itsuo Karasuyama runs an orphanage called the House of Joy in

Davao Oriental, Mindanao. Over 30 children have lived together there
for the past twnety years. I visit his orphanage with my students every
year.
As I have already mentioned, many ex-volunteers have kept in touch
with people in the Philippines to develop deeper friendships, but I can
introduce only a small number of them here today. These ex-volunteers
are passionate about making the world a better place.
After my assignment to the Philippines, I pursued a career in the field of
education and international development. After ten years of volunteer

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work, I had the fortunate opportunity to be involved in the JICA Science

Education Project in the Philippines. I participated in the project
development mission for planning the technical cooperation project, and
also served in evaluating the success of this project.
I learned so much from the Filipinos that when I returned to Japan, I felt
that I had to do something for the Philippines as well as for other
developing countries. Therefore, I got involved in educational
development and research in countries such as Cambodia, Malaysia,
Myanmar, Bolivia, Peru, and China.
I realized that Japanese people do not know much about developing
countries. Believing that it was also important for Japanese children to
learn about Asia and other developing countries, I tried to connect with
overseas volunteers working in developing countries with Japanese
schools. Even though they work in their host countries, they can also
educate Japanese children. Through the Internet, they can communicate
with Japanese children to teach them about different cultures and
societies. This project is called Meet the Globe Project. It does not just
involve reading textbooks to memorize facts and figures; it also uses
activities that enable Japanese children to interact with people who
actually live in countries that the children know little about.
Authentic experiences promote a deeper understanding. To expose
students to authentic situations, I visit the Philippines with my students
every year. Since I have many friends in the Philippines, we visit
elementary schools and universities during the summer vacation.
Japanese students grow up in a very comfortable environment. This visit
helps to make our students better global citizens. After they graduate,
some became overseas volunteers, UN specialists, JICA experts, and
NGO staff working in developing countries. Opportunities to stay in

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Filipino homes and orphanages provide them with eye-opening and lifechanging experiences.
When typhoon Yolanda hit Leyte Island, one of our graduate students
visited Tacloban to observe the hazardous conditions. He set up an
online fundraising page to collect sufficient funds to repair the roof of an
elementary school building, and conducted disaster prevention training.
This summer, we invited some Filipino students to Japan to participate
in the international conference. International cooperation is not a onesided activity; it actually delivers mutual benefits. Japanese and Filipino
students got together to talk so that they could develop friendships and
build trust between them.
The world is changing rapidly. When I was dispatched to the
Philippines, it was difficult to communicate with people back in Japan.
Today though, it is easy to communicate with each other online and visit
other countries more frequently.
I aim to design learning environments in which Japanese children are
able to meet children from other countries in order to allow them to
work together to achieve common goals, such as tackling environmental
problems, poverty, and educational issues.
Developing nations like the Philippines can contribute a great deal to
more advanced nations in terms of increasing their understanding of
important global issues. International cooperation is a two-way street,
and valuable information must flow in both directions.

Copyright 2016 Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation