BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
The JICA Solomon Islands Office has welcomed four new Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCVs), who arrived in Honiara on July, 30, 2025.
They will undergo a series of orientation activities, including Pijin language lessons and a village stay program in Tamboko, Guadalcanal Province.
Yoshu Ota, Volunteer Coordinator at the JICA Solomon Islands Office, said each of the new volunteers will contribute to key sectors across the country.
One of the volunteers is Mr Kosaka, a physical education teacher who will be assigned to Solomon Islands National University (SINU).
Upon his arrival in the country, he shared his first impressions of Solomon Islands.
“The Solomon Islands immediately struck me with its beautiful ocean and mountains, it’s truly refreshing. The national flag, visible throughout the city, represents the sea, forest, and sun with its blue, green, and yellow colours. It’s stunning. Everyone I’ve met in town has been so friendly. I’m looking forward to life here,” he said.
Another volunteer is Ms Mifuyu who will work at Honiara City Council (HCC) as an environmental education officer.
She also expressed her motivation for this role and her goal is to help make Honiara a more comfortable and liveable environment.
According to Ota, Mifuyu noticed a large amount of litter on the streets and the absence of waste separation, which is very different from Japan.
Mifuyu hopes to focus on building relationships with the local community and adapting to daily life here.
There is also Ms Hana who will serve as a PE teacher at FM Campbell School in Makira-Ulawa Province.
Ota said that she hopes to promote a broad understanding of sports beyond physical activity and teach students to not only enjoy participating in sports but to also appreciate the experience of watching games, supporting others, and engaging with sports in many ways.
The fourth volunteer is Ms Naomi, who will teach Japanese at SINU.
Naomi emphasized on cultural exchange and through her Japanese language classes, hopes to contribute to the development of Solomon Islands’ tourism sector.
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