Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) organized a Demand Survey Workshop and Consultative Seminar for new organizations as well as its KOICA’s Volunteer Partner Organizations on November 15, 2019 in Lalitpur.
The workshop was organized to introduce KOICA’s KOV program and share Demand Survey procedures to the new organizations as well as review and evaluate KOICA’s volunteer program with sharing and exchanging the best practices and creative ideas to improve volunteer program in Nepal. This meeting gave a platform to discuss ways to promote a better policy and effective implementation of Volunteer program in the future. About 80 participants from new organizations of Kathmandu valley, ministries, volunteer partner organizations and other likeminded organizations participated in the program.
Park Young Sik, Ambassador to Nepal from Republic of Korea highlighted that Korea Overseas Volunteer (KOV) program is one of the prominent program of Korea’s development cooperation in Nepal. He mentioned that the main objective of the program is to promote friendly and cooperative relationship and mutual exchange between Korea and developing countries and to support their economic and social growth. He briefed that volunteer is a change agent who support in making a difference in general people life style through contributing in bringing change in the grass root as well as community level through transfer of Korean expertise, knowledge and experiences. He expected to receive constructive feedback from all regarding the KOV program which could be instrumental in improving KOV program.
Shree Krishna Nepal, Joint Secretary of IECCD, Ministry of Finance appreciated the development of Korea which has enabled the country to be transformed from one of the poorest countries to the developed country. He appreciated the contribution of Korea and its volunteers in socio-economic development of Nepal. Ministry of Finance believes that the outcome of this workshop would help the Government to shape volunteer mobilization policy in future.
Amrit Lamsal, Under Secretray of Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration added that Nepal government is positive towards the volunteer program of KOICA but also suggested to extend the program in all provinces. He also advised to change the modality of volunteer program and to organize similar kind of workshop in province level too.
Roshi Mool, Manager of KOICA Nepal office explained about the Country Partnership Strategy of KOICA Nepal Office where she mentioned that KOICA Nepal focuses on Education, Health, and Agriculture related projects. According to CPS, KOICA implements its volunteer program as well as other development cooperation activities. She also briefed about the modality of overall KOICA programs and highlighted the importance of KOVs project based activities.
Damodar Gyawali and Kapil Gautam, officials from Butwal Submetropolitancity presented the projects implemented jointly by KOVs and Sub-Metropolitan city office. They explained the health and social welfare projects with pictures.
Manda Paudyal, Assistant Manager of KOICA Nepal Office explained about the demand survey process and visa process of KOVs. Similarly, KOV Yeonju Hong, KOV dispatched to Namobuddha Municipality also explained her Tourism project (home stay project) of Phoolbari, Namobuddha Municipality. Likewise, Sushen Joshi, Assistant Manager of KOICA briefed about KOICA Nepal Office’s security related rules and regulations for KOVs
Sunghoon Ko, Country Director of KOICA Nepal Office emphasized on the importance of cooperation from recipient organization in order to strengthen the KOICA program in Nepal. He also said that Nepal is one of the priority countries for KOICA economic development in Nepal and wished a grand success of the workshop. He suggested the partner organizations to utilize the volunteer skills properly.
KOICA Volunteer program was started in Nepal in 1991. Since then KOICA Volunteers are deployed in various governmental organizations within and outside the Kathmandu valley according to the demands and request from Nepalese government. These KOICA volunteers are from various backgrounds like Education, Health, ICT, agriculture, tourism etc.
The KOICA Volunteer Program is one of the main pillars of the KOICA programs. KOICA volunteer program aims to contribute to poverty reduction and sustainable development and to promote friendly relations between Korea and host countries. Volunteer program is an important aspect of KOICA’s cooperation program in Nepal which supports to transfer Korean knowledge, expertise and technology directly in the grass root level. Now there are 26 volunteers who are actively working in various sectors. KOICA is committed in increasing the numbers of volunteers in Nepal.