Kids & Youth Initiative What the Children Have to Say About It
Woman receives loan payment at microfinance institution in Bangladesh. Shehzad Noorani/The World Bank 2002
The sixth Microfinance Training of Trainers (MFTOT) Course, kicked off in July 2009, has now ended.
Twenty-three students in Japan have successfully graduated, fourteen have been accredited as MFTOT trainers. They’ve shared some views on the course, along with their hopes in putting the new knowledge to practical use.
Tran Thi Hoa/World Bank, 2002
A videoconference on “Issues in Asia and the International Labour Organization” was held at TDLC on November 19.
Organized jointly by the International Labour Office in Japan, Aoyama Gakuin University and TDLC, this lecture series introduces foreign and Japanese experts who work on a global scale through the ILO, and discuss current labor issues with the Japanese audience.
What is “social economy”?
“We do not have a single term for the social economy; we have no universal definition,” says Jurgen Schwettmann, Deputy Director for the Geneva-based International Labour Organization.
“The term covers an astonishing diversity of different organizations and institutions,” he remarked in an address to a videoconference held at TDLC on November 25.
“Hanbun Hanbun/Pakondal – Cambodian HIV/AIDS Orphans Meet Japanese Artists”, the final of a three-session workshop series, was held at Tokyo Wonder Site Aoyama on November 22.
As part of TDLC’s “Orphan Meets Artist” program, the event was jointly held with Tokyo Wonder Site, and got underway with an update by KIDS EARTH FUND founder Harumi Torii on the current situation faced by children in Cambodia.
Yosef Hadar/World Bank
Together wtih Kitasato University School of Nursing and the WHO, TDLC has launched a new video conference series; “Women and their Families – Health Services for Pregnancy and Child Care.”
A wide range of issues of universal concern will be discussed by experts—safe motherhood, reproductive health, child care, and generic health. The first session was held in November by WHO expert Dr. Monir Islam.
On November 15, TDLC and the World Bank Cambodia Phnom Penh office were linked in the second video conference workshop of the “Hanbun Hanbun/Pakondal—Cambodian HIV/AIDS Orphans Meet Japanese Artists” series.
Through the connection, Japanese animation artist Chikara Matsumo demonstrated to HIV/AIDS orphans in Cambodia how to show and tell about the drawings they’d made at the first workshop.
TDLC’s “Orphan Meets Artist/Artist Meets Orphan” program saw an art workshop held for HIV/AIDS orphans in Uganda early in the year, followed by a Tokyo symposium discussing the potential role of art in development.
The next phase of the program focuses on AIDS orphans in Cambodia: “Hanbun Hanbun/Pakondal—- Cambodian HIV/AIDS Orphans Meet Japanese Artists”—the theme; mutual sharing. The first videoconference workshop was held in November, connecting TDLC with the World Bank Phnom Penh office.
Earlier this year, professionals, newcomers, and students of marketing in Bali, Indonesia assembled for a five-week capacity-building course on marketing concept and strategy, organized by Tokyo Development Learning Center and GDLN Indonesia.
Videoconference-based distance learning lectures were provided by ChuSanRen, the Central Japan Industries Association, Japan’s nationwide management specialists’ association of 800 companies and organizations.
This summer, Tokyo Development Learning Center put together a five-week capacity-building distance learning seminar series “Improving Manufacturing Productivity” for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Africa, in collaboration with GDLN Distance Learning Centers.
Comments have now been received from course participants; read on to take a look at the testimonials.
Microfinance Training of Trainers (MFTOT)6 has now kicked off in Africa. On July 23, 2009, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Nigeria, Paris, Washington DC and Tokyo were set up as video connection sites in TDLC’s first major organized effort to provide a program for the African audience.
A symposium “Uganda’s AIDS Orphans Meet Artist Tatsuo Miyajima” was held at the National Art Center Tokyo in Roppongi, Tokyo this month as part of the “Orphan Meets Artist/ Artist Meets Orphan” program, decorated with colourful artwork created by children in Uganda and Japan.
In developing countries like Mongolia, a lot of mothers’ and babies’ lives are lost in pregnancy and childbirth. Many are due to preventable causes, and health care specialists are in urgent demand. TDLC and Kitasato University offer training through distance learning, to make a difference…
“I lost everything. I just did not want to live anymore”. It was the voice of a disaster victim reported in a newspaper article. It was a call for action by TDLC, who leads GDLN Asia Pacific program development. With its knowledge and experience in post-disaster measures, Japan could make a unique contribution. Our distance learning course on disaster nursing will be held on February 17 and 18.
Hitotsubashi University’s Third Annual Asian Public Policy Program (APPP) Alumni Seminar was held on June 17, 2008 connecting the TDLC with Beijing, Hanoi, Jakarta and Manila. These “virtual” gatherings offer an opportunity for alumni, spread out across the region, to strengthen ties and discuss current public policy issues.
As high and volatile oil prices cast a shadow of uncertainty over the world economy, analysis and information on oil-price dynamics as well as instruments for risk management are in high demand among policymakers.The TDLC and World Bank Institute (WBI), engaging the expertise of the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan, collaborated to launch a timely new videoconference seminar “Oil Price Volatility, Economic Impacts and Risk Management in Asia”.
A new blended learning program to train mother and child health care specialists in Mongolia was launched on April 30, 2008. Organized by the TDLC and Kitasato University’s School of Nursing, with the cooperation of the Mongolian Nursing Association, the full day lecture was delivered via GDLN videoconference to a total of 440 participants at 5 sites in Ulaan Bataar and other rural locations.
As part of an ongoing collaborative research project, a videoconference workshop on “Earthquake Risk Perception” was held March 5, 2008 to share the results of a survey conducted in 2007/2008 by the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) on the risk perception of residents, government officials, building contractors and masons.
Researchers from 5 countries connected via the GDLN on January 24, 2008 for the Tokyo International Workshop 2008 on Earthquake Disaster Mitigation for Safer Housing. Part of a collaborative research project initiated by 4 Japanese institutions including the Building Research Institute, the workshop was organized to share research and development output as well as to discuss activity programs among participating research institutes in Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan and Turkey.
How can new technologies help build microfinance capacity in developing countries? The Microfinance Training of Trainers (MFToT) course has led the way with its unique blended learning approach. The fourth series which opened at the TDLC on August 16, 2007 takes advantage of webcasting to deliver videoconference lectures, vastly expanding accessibility. Moodle, an open-source learning management system, was incorporated for the first time – allowing 653 participants from 52 countries to register on-line.
Research institutes in Japan, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan and Turkey connected via the GDLN on July 18, 2007 to take part in the “Thematic International Workshop 2007 on Feasible and Affordable Seismic Constructions in Developing Countries”. These 5 countries are participating in an ongoing collaborative research and development project to mitigate damage in earthquake prone areas in Asia, using videoconferencing as a way to share information and discuss future plans.
School children in Bangkok made their “debut” on screen in Japan during a Kids Initiative videoconference session held on July 17, 2007 acting out a skit explaining why many Thai people wear yellow. Counterparts in Japan responded with a presentation on school life in Tokyo. Kids Initiative is a World Bank TDLC program which utilizes videoconference and other communication technologies to promote multi-cultural exchanges between children to prepare them for an increasingly interconnected world.
Hitotsubashi University’s Asian Public Policy Program (APPP) held its second “reunion” via the GDLN on June 28, 2007. Professor Hisanobu Shishido moderated from the TDLC connecting to alumni in Beijing, Manila, Hanoi and Jakarta. Over thirty attended the seminar in Tokyo, including students currently enrolled in the program.
A new World Bank publication “An East Asian Renaissance: Ideas for Growth” was presented at the TDLC on June 12, 2007 by lead authors Dr. Homi Kharas, former Bank Chief Economist for East Asia & Pacific, and Dr. Indermit Gill, Economic Adviser. Three universities in Japan connected via videoconference to tune into discussions.
With broad interest in road management systems around the world, much can be learned from each other’s experience – thus, findings from two international projects recently undertaken by the World Bank were discussed at a videoconference-based distance seminar connecting 9 sites on April 24, 2007 organized by the Bank’s East Asia Transport Unit & the GDLN.
The National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) and The Building Research Institute (BRI)Japan held an international conference on “Disaster Mitigation Education and Risk Awareness” on March 15, 2007 at the TDLC.
The application of seismic isolation is often limited in developing countries because of the high cost and specialized technology involved in its design, construction and maintenance. To address this issue, a study group organized by the Consortium for Building Research and Development has conducted research on simple and affordable seismic isolation – and an international workshop held on February 8, 2007 via videoconference allowed experts to share their findings with counterparts in Asia.
“More hard work will be needed from all of you”. The new Dean of the Asian Development Bank Institute, Dr. Masahiro Kawai expressed hopes for accelerated microfinance capacity building at an Accreditation Ceremony held on February 5,2007 connecting 6 sites.
Research institutions in Japan, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan and Turkey joined forces on November 22-23, 2006 connecting to each other from the TDLC for the “Tokyo International Workshop 2006 on Earthquake Disaster Mitigation for Safer Housing”.Organizers including the Building Research Institute of Japan have launched a new collaborative research project with Asian institutions, and are incorporating videoconferencing to share knowledge and strengthen the network.
Students in Sri Lanka and Japan connected via videoconference on August 29, 2006 to conduct a joint “Home Room” session, participating in an activity to identify the most important things in life and share their perspectives.Facilitated with the cooperation of Takushoku University, over a dozen students from Hoya Junior High School assembled at the TDLC to interact with their peers in Sri Lanka.
The third “Training of Trainers Course on Microfinance” (MFToT) began at the TDLC on August 3, 2006, incorporating new approaches to broaden its impact on building training capacity in Asia. Newcomers India, Pakistan and China joined Sri Lanka, Vietnam, the Philippines and Japan for the opening videoconference session connecting via the GDLN, with Beijing bridging to the China Development Bank’s national network to further expand the course’s reach. The session was also webcast live through the internet for the first time. See full story to access an archived version of the webcast.
Hitotsubashi University’s Asian Public Policy Program (APPP) held a virtual “reunion” on June 16, 2006 via the GDLN. The first of two sessions planned for this year, over 30 current master degree students, PhD candidates and faculty gathered at the TDLC to connect with alumni in Beijing, Manila, Jakarta and Hanoi for discussions on recent policy issues in Asia. Waving to each other across the screen, the event provided an enjoyable new opportunity to strengthen ties and exchange information within the region’s alumni network.
The Second “Training of Trainers Course on Microfinance (MFToT) gave accreditation to 32 new microfinance trainers from Afghanistan, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Mongolia, the Philippines and Sri Lanka at a ceremony moderated from the TDLC on April 12,2006. The course, a blended distance learning program which combines various technologies, aims to build microfinance capacity in Asia, and will be delivered for the third time later this year.
A “Kids Initiative” Peace Program, sponsored by the World Bank, was held on December 20, 2005, allowing children from Hiroshima to share their city’s tragic experience with their counterparts in East Timor and the Philippines. The TDLC facilitated the connection between Hiroshima University, the venue in Japan, and GDLN Centers in East Timor and the Philippines.
A special session of the Kids Initiative, sponsored by the World Bank’s East Asia and Pacific region, was held at the TDLC on October 1, 2005 connecting children from Japan and Sri Lanka.
Due to popular demand, the “Training of Trainers Course on Microfinance (MFTOT)”, first held as a blended distance learning program last spring, will be given again this autumn over 13 weeks by the TDLC, The Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF). Based on performance of assignments, e-discussions and final exam, participants who meet standards will be given accreditation to become a certified trainer of the Microfinance Distance Learning Course.
The first session of the Training of Trainers on Microfinance course was held February 17.
In October last year we announced the development of a collaborative program with the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) and the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) on training for microfinance.
Recently the World Bank’s East Asia and Pacific Region inaugurated a series of videoconferences called the Kids Initiative involving kids aged 10 to 13 in East Asia.
The Tokyo Distance Learning Center is very pleased to announce a collaboration with the Asian Development Bank Institute to develop a pilot distance training program in microfinance.
Tokyo Development Learning Center
A Japan/World Bank Distance Learning Partnership Project
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