Social welfare: Group departs to Japan for training

For the 18-day course, a send off ceremony was organised at a local hotel in Islamabad, which was also attended by Asghar Ali, in-charge of JICA training programme in the Economic Affairs Division and JICA Chief Representative Mitsuyoshi Kawasaki.


Ali, while speaking to the trainees, said “You will be the representatives of your country in Japan. I expect you to learn the Japanese approach towards issues of special persons and implement them in your respective domain.”

Kawasaki said, “The support system for persons with disabilities is very crucial since it provides an enabling environment that would allow full realisation of the potential of special persons through their inclusive mainstreaming and providing them full support of the government, private sector and civil society.”

“I strongly hope you will return to Pakistan with a firm commitment to make a difference in creating an enabling environment for persons with disabilities which will help them,” he said.

The training programme for young leaders was initiated by the government of Japan under a technical cooperation scheme for Pakistan. The course has been designed for young social welfare sector professionals of provincial and federal governments in Pakistan. It is expected to enhance and polish the capabilities of the participants in the field of social welfare, especially for persons with disabilities through the Japanese experience.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 1^st, 2015.