Alumni Association

Since 1954, JICA has been inviting Myanmar officials to its various training programs in Japan under the Technical Cooperation Scheme of the Government of Japan. So far, over 5,000 ex-participants have already been pooled up in Myanmar.

On 1 February 2003, with the initiative support of JICA Myanmar Office (JMO), a gathering party was organized in Yangon to find the way how to establish an association of JICA Alumni in Myanmar. It was attended by about sixty ex-participants of JICA's training programs and a brief explanation was presented by JICA Myanmar Office's Chief Representative Mr. Takahiro Sasaki. He highlighted it was the right time to establish an association of JICA alumni in Myanmar as 2003 was the year of ASEAN-Japan Exchange. Like other countries, Myanmar should have a JICA Alumni Association to actively participate hand in hand with other alumni associations in the region.

After the several meetings with active JICA ex-participants, it was agreed to set up JICA Alumni Association under the umbrella of Myanmar Association of Japan Alumni (MAJA). And after get together party of JICA ex-participants organized by JMO on 21 March 2003, JICA Alumni Association of Myanmar (JAAM) was founded by nine hard core members and 121 ex-trainees as a component of MAJA. There are 1,001 members of JAAM by the end of March 2014.

JAAM was officially recognized by JICA Head Quarters on 27 October, 2004.

To become an independent organization, constitution of JAAM has been agreed by all its members and application of official registration has been submitted to the authorities concerned. to obtain approval.

Linkage between JAAM and MAJA

JAAM has set five main objectives as follows:

(i) To gather those who have been to Japan under JICA programs to support building activities for Nation's development in line with state policies

(ii) To speed up JICA Alumni's active participation in building of Nation development

(iii) To establish a network for more cooperation with JICA Alumni Associations in the region

(iv) To develop friendship between Myanmar and Japan through close cooperation with JICA(v) To share knowledge gained from JICA's programs and experiences from professional careers among members

Since JAAM was founded by the leadership of nine hard core members, some activities have been conducted in its limited capacity. Then, in 2008, JMO's support to JAAM started being extended and a local staff was appointed to assist JAAM's secretarial work. For more activities to be carried out, number of executive members is also increased to 17 from 9 hard core members. With the support of JMO, office space at JMO is shared to use for JAAM's activities like having meeting and holding technical field-wise seminars.

Some of JAAM's domestic activities as well as international participations are partially budgeted by JICA. Annual work plan is also set up by executive members of JAAM. Regular EC meetings are held once for every two months and emergency decisions are occasionally made by ad- hoc meetings.

As a part of regular activities, Technical Field-wise Seminars are being held at JMO, once every four months. So far, all together twenty three different topics have been presented by professionals who gained knowledge and experience from Japan. Such seminars are always lively with enthusiastic participants as they share interesting and informative subjects that give invaluable benefit to the audience.

THE LIST OF SEMINARS

No. of TFS	Presentations' Title	Speakers' Name
1st TFS	“ Sustainable Environmental Development through Ecotourism”	U Aung Din (Chairman of Nature Lovers Group)
2nd TFS	“Sustainable Forest Harvesting”   “Food Spoilage and You”	U Khin Zaw (General Manager of International Business enter) Dr. Khin Nwe Oo (Director Department of Medical Research, Lower Myanmar
3rd TFS	“Trafficking in women and children” “Rabies”	U Myint Thein (Director, Dept. of Social Welfare) Retired U Saw Plei Saw (Retired Pro Rector Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science)
4th TFS	“Upgrading of Tsunami Early Warning System and Tsunami Numerical Modeling for Myanmar Coastal Areas” “Third Party Compulsory Liability Insurance”	Dr. Ni Ni Soe Min ( Staff  Officer, Department of Meteorology & Hydrology) U Khin Maung Win (Assistant General Manager, Myanma Insurance)
5th TFS	“Strengthening the Child Centered Approach” “Promotion of the Social Participation of the Deaf Community”	Daw Cho Cho Oo (Project Manager, Department of Educational Planning and Training) Daw Bway Say Wah (Vice Principal, Mary Chapman School for the Deaf) U Tin Aye Ko (Secretary, Yangon Deaf Association)
6th TFS	“Promotion of Productivity in Central Dry Zone's Crop” “First and intervention for snake bites in Myanmar”	U Htin Aung Shein (Assistant Director,  Department of Agriculture) Dr. Tun Pe (Director, Research (Retired)Department of Medical Research, Lower Myanmar)
7th TFS	“The role of Myanma Traditional Medicine in PHC (Public Health Care)” “Collective Prevention of Fire Hazard”	Dr. Theim Kyaw (Deputy Director Department of Traditional  Medicine) U Zaw Win (Director (Retired) Department of Fire Service)
8th TFS	“Small Scale Aquaculture Extension for Promotion of Livelihood of Rural Communities in Myanmar Project” “Recent Decades of Bridge Constructions in Myanmar”	U Kyaw Moe Aung (Deputy Fisheries Officer, Department of Fisheries) U Han Zaw (Managing Director (Retired) Public Works)
9th TFS	“Public Transport System of Yangon City” “Disaster Risk Reduction in Myanmar”	U Nay Myo Win Aung (Assistant Manager (Myanmar Port Authority) Daw Latt Latt Aye (DRR Specialist, UN Habitat)
10th TFS	“Community Oriented Reproductive Health”	Dr. Wai Wai Lwin (Assistant Director (Retired)Mother and Child Health Project
	“Implementation of Irrigation Project Area”	Daw Aye Aye Khaing (Staff Officer Design Branch Irrigation Department)
11th TFS	“Utilization of Mobile Technologies in Japan for Socio Economic Development” “The Integrated Mangrove Rehabilitation and Management Project through Community Participation in the Ayeyarwady Delta”	U Zaw Moe Thant (Field Project Manager, Ministry of Environment Conservation and Forestry) U Khin Maung Lwin (Staff Officer, Forest Department)
12th TFS	“Aquatic Environment, Fishery and their Conservation” “A Country Profile on Potentials of Future Development”	U Hla Win (Advisor, Myanmar Fishery Federation) U Tin Myint (Deputy Director, Myanmar Security Exchange Center Co.Ltd)
13th TFS	“Water Bacteriology and Treatment” “OISCA- International Activities in Myanmar & Collaborate Project with JICA”	Dr. Mar Mar Nyein, Deputy Director/ Head (Retired)Bacteriology Research Division, DMR (Lower Myanmar) Daw Ei Ei Thaw, Instructor, Myanmar Agriculture Service, OISCA, Agriculture & Forestry, Planning Training School
14th TFS	“The Impact of Climate Change in Myanmar”	Dr. Tun Lwin, Chief Executive Officer Myanmar Climate Change Watch, Myanmar Climate Consultancy Service
15th TFS	“Product Certification for Trade Facilitation” “Introduction to Cyber Security”	Dr. Phyu Phyu Win, Director, Myanmar Scientific and Technological Research Department (MSTD) Dr. Thandar Phyu, Associate Professor, Department of Advanced Science and Technology,　Ministry of Science and Technology
16th TFS	“Problems & Pollution of Municipal Solid Waste Management in Yangon City“ “ Advantages of Group Teaching Method “	Dr. Aung Myint Maw,  Assistant Chief Engineer,  Pollution Control and Cleansing Department, Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC) Daw Thandar Phyu, Junior Teacher, Ministry  of Education
17th TFS	“Fire & Explosive Chemicals” “Tourism in Tokushima”	Dr. Sint Soe, Deputy Director General, Ministry of Science & Technology U Hlwan Moe, Assistant Manager, Ministry of Hotels & Tourism
18th TFS	“Biopolymer Chitosan Application in Agriculture” “Disaster Mental Health”	Dr. Kyaw Nyein Aye, Visiting Professor, Yangon Technological University Dr. San San Oo, Consultant Psychiatrist(Retired) Myanmar Mental Health Society
1st TFS (NPT)	“A Brief Account on Traditional Medicine Today” “Monetary Policy Framework and Exchange Rate Unification Process of Myanmar”	Dr. Theim Kyaw, Deputy Director, Research and Development Section, Department of Traditional Medicine Daw Kalayar Nay Tun, Assistant Director, Monetary Policy Department, Ministry of Finance
2nd TFS (NPT)	“Being Harmful of the Alien Species in Agriculture Sector” “Notable Matters Relating to Forming of Organizations According to Existing Laws”	U Htin Aung Shein, Assistant Director Myanmar Rice Research Centre, Department of Agriculture Daw Htoo Htoo Ngwe, Director, Union Attorney General Office
3rd TFS(NPT)	“Enhancing Connectivity for Promoting India -ASEAN Economic Integration” “Social Security Scheme”	U Khin Maung, Superintending Engineer(Retired), Ministry of Construction Dr. Lwin Lwin Oo Hlaing, Deputy Director, Social Security Board, Ministry of Labour

Annual General Meetings (AGM) have been held in Yangon since 2008. Starting from 2012, AGMs have been held both in Yangon and in Nay Pyi Taw because most of the in service membrs of JAAM are located in Nay Pyi Taw.

Activities of JAAM and JICA are regularly presented in brief in quarterly publication of JAAM's Newsletter and it is being distributed to the members. Through the impressive editions of JAAM's quarterly newsletter, members are being provided updated information, forthcoming activities and announcements.

To get well access to each other among the JAAM's members, a membership directory has been published with updated data in every two years since 2007. The latest edition of membership directory for 2013 will be mailed to the members.

Proving environmental concerns among the members, since 2008, JAAM has been organizing a greening campaign in every rainy season. The trees planted by members are now growing well and supporting to become more pleasant environment in and around of schools and monasteries where the tree planting campaigns were conducted.

Besides, JAAM has been carrying out in improvement of educational promotion activities every year. As for the activities, knowledgeable books in various topic have been donated to the libraries in need and stationary, computers and furniture have also been provided to the monastic education schools where a member of orphans and needy children are learning. The said activities have been carried out by JAAM member's own contribution and partial support of JICA.

Though JAAM is conducting its activities in its own capacity and by the partial support of JICA as a chapter under the umbrella of MAJA, annual youth camps of Regional Leader Forum by ASEAN-Japan Friendship Association (AJAFA-21), JAAM has actively participated since 2004. AJAFA-21 ECMs are also regularly participated by JAAM. And, JICA Alumni Regional Conference of Asia Japan Alumni Association (ASJAA) is held every two years in member countries and JAAM's active participations in them are recognized.

Now, JAAM is approaching to its tenth birthday by enthusiastic participation of the members, generous supports of JICA and individual well-wishers' contributions.

Executive Members of JAAM welcome kind and supportive suggestions as well as active participation and new membership of those who studied or participated in functional activities in Japan under JICA's schemes of TCP.