[Training Report] Short-term participants had a touching exchange with energetic children at Ogura Kindergarten!

[Goal 7] Affordable and Clean Energy
SDGs
[Goal 4] Quality Education
SDGs

2024.09.20

On September 13, 2024, eight short-term participants of the JICA training course “Promotion of Energy Efficiency and Energy Conservation (B)” visited the Asano Gakuen Ogura Kindergarten, a school corporation, for an exchange program with 62 children in the older class.

The exchange program is an event held at the beginning of the training course to interact with a group of local citizens to help the participants become Japanophiles and people familiar with Japan, as well as to deepen international understanding among local citizens.

The participants work in their home countries for national institutions such as the Ministry of Economy, Community Development and Investment, and the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources, and are engaged in promoting energy conservation.
Eight participants from five Central Asian countries (Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan), including four women, took part in the exchange program this time.

The children at Ogura Kindergarten welcomed the participants with handmade flags of each country. The children were divided into 8 groups and greeted each other in the language of the participants' home country, such as “Salam aleikum!”

The participants introduced themselves in Japanese, which they had just learned, and the children asked questions to the participants. They asked questions such as “What is your favorite food in Uzbekistan?” and “Is there an Aladdin in Kazakhstan? Does he have a monkey on his shoulder?” The participant replied with a smile.

Participants introduce themselves in Japanese.

Who wants to ask a question to them? Yes, I do! Hai!

They also enjoyed playing games such as “rock-paper-scissors train” and “fruit basket” and performed the “Frog Song” with harmonica and chorus, as well as “team gymnastics”. The program was so full of fun that the participants and the children got along well.

A boy asks a Tajikistan participant about Dugi eronӣ (lactic acid-based beverage).

Frog Song harmonica performance and chorus

When it was time to say goodbye, the participants were surrounded by children who attacked them with handshakes. The participants also gave the kindergarten many unusual souvenirs from their home countries, such as a stuffed camel, a white scarf for a bride on the wedding day, bracelets, and toys.

Participants' gifts: white scarf (zholuk) of Kyrgyz bridal costume and traditional hats for men (Kalpak)

Participant from Turkmenistan shaking hands with children.

The energetic children and teachers of the Ogura Kindergarten made the newly arrived participants smile from the bottom of their hearts during this exchange program.

Related Links

Sns share!

  • X (Twitter)
  • linkedIn
To the list page