4 JICA Education Consultant in the education sector. To witness this occasion held at the JICA offices Newsletter in Nairobi were officials from Kenya’s Receives Presidential Award Ministry of Education and the SMASE project. ince 2004, JICA Mr. Kibe gave an impressive Giving A Helping Hand January/February 2010 President Madam speech to his fellow staff and Sadako Ogata has others who had come to Sbeen giving certificates witness the occasion. He is a to show appreciation respected educationist in Kenya Inside to individuals and with experience spanning over organizations which have four decades. been engaging in JICA’s Mr. Kibe has worked for development activities JICA for the past 13 years for more than 10 years. mainly in the SMASE project. The individuals, both The project was launched in Japanese and foreign, Kenya in 1998 and has had have contributed greatly to a tremendous impact in the the growth of developing Mr. Samuel Kibe, Education Consultant (right) receives teaching and learning of science • Improvement countries as well as to JICA’s the award from JICA Senior Representative, Mr. Kyosuke and mathematics not only in of Water Supply Hon. Kalonzo Musyoka in a group photograph with some of the volunteers working in Kenya. international cooperation Kawazumi. Kenya but to the rest of Africa. Project in Kapsabet mission. Said an elated Kibe on Town The certificates and awards in 2009 were 18. These receiving the award from JICA Senior Representative, were to 12 Japanese, 1 Chinese, 1 Saudi, 1 Indian, 1 Mr. Kyosuke Kawazumi: “This award is for all of us who Kenya’s Vice-President Meets Paraguay, 1 El-Salvador and 1 Kenyan (Mr. Kibe). have been involved in the SMASE project. Without your At a joyful ceremony on 5th November, 2009 which contribution, it would not have been as successful as it was attended by JICA Kenya staff, Mr. Samuel Kibe who is. But I’m proud to have been recognized at such a high Japanese Volunteers is an Education Consultant, received the coveted Award level.” for his outstanding contribution to JICA’s development apan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers relations over the years. He commended • JICA Staff Visit (JOCV) serving in Kenya had an exciting Japan for continuing to support Kenya in its From Pg. 3 business operations and billing. Mwea Projects social meeting with the country’s Vice economic development as well as in meeting President, Hon. Kalonzo Musyoka, recently its food security. the wider Makueni and Machakos To ensure success of the project, J and had the opportunity to brief him about He also noted with appreciation Japan’s districts is under preparation for JICA has included the Kapsabet/ their work. current support in capacity building and implementation in the near future. Nandi Water and Sanitation Company Hon. Musyoka, who was accompanied by infrastructure which included the Sondu Miriu Another area of JICA’s among the three key water service other senior government officials, praised the hydro-power plant and the development of involvement is the Study on providers in Kenya that will benefit volunteers for their impressive work in Kenya Mombasa port. Integrated Flood Management for from its technical cooperation project and congratulated JOCV on its 44 years service While welcoming the Vice-President, the the Nyando River Basin that was for the Management of Non-Revenue tter to the world. He said the people who were Ambassador of Japan to Kenya, H.E. Shigeo completed in 2008 and the on-going Water in Kenya which is expected to le assisted by the volunteers were often poor Iwatani, said the JOCV was a grassroots level implementation of the Community start soon. • Seminar Discusses and vulnerable and the assistance helped to technical assistance program implemented ws Based Disaster Flood Management In addition to this, JICA shall also Nairobi’s reduce their feeling of isolation. through Japan International Cooperation to Adapt to Climate Project in the extend its support to the Ministry Solid Waste Ne He said the volunteers, through their Agency (JICA) in which skilled volunteers Nyando Catchment area. of Water and Irrigation in updating Management its National Water Masterplan that services, also had a chance to enhance their were dispatched to developing countries to tter Mr. Takahashi said the le confidence and acquire new skills as well as get live and work with the communities. inauguration of the Kapsabet was compiled in 1992. This is in opportunities to meet new people ws project was a milestone in the Mr. Yoshiyuki Takahashi, Chief realization that despite the water Representative, JICA Kenya Office, deficit that is experienced in Kenya, and forge new friendships. “There improvement of water supply to the Ne is also the sense of satisfaction that growing population of the town. speaking during the ground - breaking only 15% of its potential has been ceremony for the improvement of water comes from helping others,” he It will involve improvement of the gainfully exploited. supply system in Kapsabet town. added. water intake facilities, construction The Masterplan shall form the The Vice-President noted that of a new water treatment plant, basic framework for the orderly maintain the system once completed. volunteering was not only invaluable installation of distribution pipelines This has necessitated the inclusion planning and implementation of • JICA Education Consultant to the people involved but important as well as installation of pumps and of a ‘soft’ component to the project water resources related development Receives at community level because it meters among other facilities and that shall address issues related to the programs consistent with the Presidential contributed to the regeneration and equipment. overall national socio-economic operation and maintenance of the Award renewal of the communities making He emphasized the need to development agenda. facilities such as leakage prevention, them safer and vibrant. On relations between Japan and Hon. Kalonzo Musyoka meets JOCV’s as Japan’s Published by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Kenya Office Kenya, Hon. Musyoka, said the two Ambassador to Kenya, Mr. Shigeo Iwatani, and JICA’s P.O. Box 50572-00200, Nairobi, Kenya Tel: (254-20) 2724121-4, Fax: (254-20) 2718202. countries have enjoyed excellent Chief Representative, Mr. Yoshiyuki Takahashi, look on. E-mail: [email protected] Website: http://www.jica.go.jp/kenya/index.html Improvement of Water Seminar Discusses Nairobi’s Supply Project in Solid Waste Management Kapsabet Town ‘As a result of this rapid increase in population, the rate of solid waste generation is now estimated at approximately 2,400 tons daily’ enya’s Minister for Water and Irrigation, Hon. Charity Ngilu, has commended the apan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Nairobi Government of Japan for its continued City Council (NCC) held a one-day Seminar on Solid Ksupport to the water sector. Waste Management in Nairobi in December 2009. During Speaking during the ground-breaking ceremony Jthe seminar, the Preparatory Survey for Integrated Solid Waste for the Sh. 1.2 billion project for Augmentation of Management for Nairobi that will be implemented by the NCC Water Supply System in Kapsabet town in December with assistance from JICA was launched. 2009, the minister said Japan had contributed JICA senior representative, Mr Kyosuke Kawazumi, in his tremendously to development projects in Kenya that address said the proposed activities in the earlier 1998 Study on have benefitted millions of people especially in the Solid Waste Management in Nairobi City were projected to be rural areas. implemented over a 10-year period. “The preparatory survey is “We have just experienced one of the worst therefore a follow-up and is expected to take into consideration Kenya’s Minister for Water and Irrigation, Hon. Charity Ngilu, Deputy Chief droughts in this country and any country that is the current situation of solid waste management in Nairobi and contributing to the improvement of water supply to of Mission, Embassy of Japan, Mr. Seiji Okada, Senior officials from the Ministry of Water & Irrigation, Lake Victoria North Water Services Board the existing gaps. It will therefore propose actions to be taken communities in both urban and rural areas is a friend in and area leaders during the launching ceremony of the improvement of water and projects to be implemented up to the year 2030,” he said. deed,” she told a crowd of residents who had gathered supply system in Kapsabet town. Nairobi has experienced rapid population growth largely due JICA support staff contribute tremendously to the in Kapsabet to witness the ceremony. to rural-urban migration and its present population is estimated success of the projects that JICA undertakes in The launching ceremony was attended by senior officials from management were some of the main priority areas of at 3.6 million. As a result, the rate of solid waste generation is many parts of this country. Top seated (left to right): the Ministry of Water & Irrigation, Lake Victoria North Water Services Japanese cooperation. now estimated at 2,400 tons daily. Christopher Mugwe (driver), Leonard Ongeri (driver). Board, area leaders and the Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Previous JICA interventions in the water sector About half of this is left uncollected or illegally dumped Standing (left to right): Benson Masuti (dispatch), Japan, Mr. Seiji Okada. includes the Meru Water Supply that was completed within the city and the remainder transported to a final disposal Barnabas Mwangi (dispatch), Harrison Nyanjua The Kapsabet project is one of the many water projects that have in 2004 (now a success story in urban water supply), site which is an open dump type landfill and hence has a (transport officer), Newton Katua (security), Julius been supported by Japan in Kenya since 1977 when Japanese experts and the Rural Water Supply Project in the arid Kitui detrimental effect on the surrounding environment.