[Towards TICAD9] Supporting the further advancement of African students: We held an exchange meeting with ABE Initiative trainees

Reference: JICA Official Website

On February 28, 33 representatives of African students who came to Japan in 2022 through the “ABE Initiative” program (hereinafter referred to as “ABE Initiative trainees”) met with members of the Japanese Parliament belonging to the Japan-African Union (AU) Friendship League, Japanese The participants interacted with business personnel and former JICA Overseas Cooperation Volunteers who conduct business in Africa. In the group discussion, which was the main session of this time, a lively exchange of opinions took place between the trainees, who aim to build bridges between Africa and Japan, and the Japanese officials who encourage them.

Aiming to be a bridge between Japan and Africa

This networking event was held for ABE Initiative trainees who are due to return to Japan in six months to a year for the following two purposes:
① Sharing of expectations from Japanese stakeholders regarding the success of the trainees after returning home
② Sharing of expectations with Japanese companies and Japanese youth working on solving social issues in Africa, who will be important partners in the activities of the trainees after returning home. Providing networking opportunities with former JICA Overseas Cooperation Volunteers)
At the beginning of the exchange meeting, Congressman Ichiro Aizawa, Chairman of the AU Parliamentary Federation, stated that the AU Parliamentary Federation is Africa’s support group, and that he would like to support the ABE Initiative trainees and create a win-win relationship between Japan and Africa. We also hope that the trainees will make use of their experience in Japan and become a bridge between Japan and Africa in various ways, such as finding employment with Japanese companies or starting businesses in their home countries, and play an active role in their respective countries and positions. Words of encouragement were given.

Congressman Ichiro Aizawa sends a message of encouragement to the trainees

Utilizing what I learned in Japan to solve problems in Japan and Africa

Mr. Wambi Jotham Martin from Uganda, who served as the representative of the trainees, said that he grew up surrounded by “MADE IN JAPAN” products from an early age and became interested in Japan. “The desire to study in Japan, a country of technological innovation that gave birth to brands like Toshiba, is widely shared in East Africa.”
Wambi, who came to Japan in 2022 as an ABE Initiative trainee, is currently studying data analysis and machine learning at Yamaguchi University. During my internship at Scala Co., Ltd., which aims to solve social issues by utilizing IT, AI, and IoT, I researched the medical issues facing Ikata Town, Ehime Prefecture, and developed this technology to monitor chronic diseases in the elderly in real time. We have started research to develop.
Based on the results of this research, Mr. Wambi is establishing Kenko Connect, a startup aiming to transform medical care in Ube City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. At the Creative Business Cup Japan Pitch held in May 2023, we received the Life Science Innovation Special Award.
“This venture is not just a business, but a bridge connecting Japan, Uganda, and the African continent,” says Wambi. He spoke powerfully about his future goals, saying that he would like to make the most of his studies in Japan and his internship experience and play an active role for Japan and Africa in the future.

Mr. Wambi Jotham Martin giving a speech on behalf of the trainees

The continuous bond between ABE Initiative trainees
“This exchange event gave me an opportunity to broaden my horizons,” says Mr. Idialo Abdulaziz, who is originally from the Nigerian private sector. He studied international management at the International University of Japan and started working on an online market platform that connects Japanese companies with the Nigerian market. We are aiming to launch.
He said that the group discussion he participated in this time gave him an opportunity to realize that the issues faced in his own country are also common to other countries. “I feel that the connections made by ABE Initiative students are extremely important for Africa to become one, and for Africa and Japan to work together in a win-win relationship.” Mr. Idialo spoke about the importance of cooperation between all of Africa and cooperation with Japan.

Mr. Idialo (left) studying at International University and Ms. Shaima (right), an ABE Initiative graduate

“I was happy to be able to share my story as a ‘Senpai’ (senpai) as an example of what happens after completing the program.” After working through the ABE Initiative, he currently works for Hinode Sangyo Co., Ltd. and is working on overseas projects. Mr. Muribet Shaima from Morocco is in charge of. She said that she had a very meaningful time there, as she met fellow trainees conducting research who could potentially become future business partners.
Hinode Sangyo Co., Ltd., where Mr. Shaima works, is a company headquartered in Yokohama that specializes in wastewater treatment, and has accepted more than 50 ABE Initiative trainees to date. “We have a Facebook group for ABE Initiative interns, and when we accept new interns, we invite past interns for online meetings. I want to cherish it.” Mr. Shaima was once an intern at this company. Currently, as a member of a company that accepts students, I am also involved in accepting international students from Africa.

“My encounter with the ABE Initiative changed my life.”

Daibic Co., Ltd., which operates IT education (programming school “DPro”), human resource introduction, and outsourcing businesses, is one of the companies that accepts ABE Initiative trainees as interns. After accepting interns from ABE Initiative students, we translated the school’s curriculum into English, French, and Spanish, and are offering courses to young Africans to learn web application development and machine learning up to employment level.
“Before accepting interns, we had never even thought about expanding our business in Africa,” says CEO Hiroyoshi Noro, who decided to expand his business to Africa after hearing the “voices from the field” he heard from interns. Consider. In order to deliver IT education and employment opportunities throughout Africa, our business model of providing endowed courses to local computer science universities and developing an outsourcing business is attracting attention from the Japanese government.
Mr. Noro spoke at the Africa-Japan Startup Pitch at the 7th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD7). “During TICAD7, the Japanese woman who happened to be sitting next to me became my current business partner and wife.My encounter with Africa truly changed my life,” the speech said. was filled with surprise.
Mr. Noro, whose encounter with the ABE Initiative has had an impact on both his professional and private life, concluded his speech by saying, “I want you to value encounters with people more than anything else,” which drew thunderous applause from the audience.