JICA Zambia

23/07/2026

Empowering Girls, Strengthening Futures

Today, we look back at this inspiring JICA initiative pioneered by JICA Volunteers in Southern Province, where girls learned to make reusable sanitary towels. The training combined life skills, creativity, and menstrual health education, helping young people gain confidence, reduce challenges related to period poverty, and build a brighter future for themselves and their communities.

03/07/2026

JICA–ZNPHI Project conducts Autoclave and PH meter Calibration Training.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), through the ongoing technical cooperation project with the Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI), “Project for Strengthening Laboratory-Based Surveillance for Infectious Diseases,” conducted an Autoclave and pH Meter Calibration Training at the Zambia National Public Health Reference Laboratory (ZNPHRL) on June 24, 2026.

The training was facilitated by an ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accredited engineer from South Africa and aimed to strengthen ZNPHRL’s capacity in the calibration and maintenance of laboratory equipment for ensuring the credible testing of specimens suspected of infectious diseases. ZNPHRL was represented by Mr. Muthazi Zulu, in charge of equipment maintenance at the laboratory, who participated in practical sessions on calibration procedures, maintenance techniques, and performance verification of autoclaves and pH meters.

The activity enhanced technical expertise in equipment management and supported ongoing efforts to ensure that laboratory equipment can be calibrated and maintained internally by ZNPHRL experts, thereby strengthening laboratory quality assurance systems and promoting long-term sustainability.

01/07/2026

https://jicamagazine.jica.go.jp/en/article/?id=202607_9s

"JICA Magazine" is a public relations magazine published by JICA. It introduces the current situation of developing countries around the world, the people who are active in the field, and the content of their activities.

26/06/2026

Empowering Learning Through ICT – One Step at a Time

Ms. Yamasaki, a JICA Volunteer and PC instructor, supports students’ ICT learning despite limited internet access. When online tools became difficult to use, she introduced offline programs like “GCompris” and “RapidTyping,” making ICT part of daily learning and keeping the computer room open for independent use.
Guided by her motto, “Do not use blackouts as an excuse,” she creatively adapts to challenges using tablets, hands-on models, and keyboard-based activities.
She also launched a student-led PC club, where learners maintain equipment, support peers, and solve technical issues for building skills, confidence, and responsibility.
As a result, students are becoming more independent, applying ICT skills in school and daily life. International exchanges with a Japanese high school further enrich learning, fostering cultural understanding and empathy.

山﨑隊員は、ICT教育の推進を目的にコミュニティースクールで活動するPCインストラクター隊員です。当初は「Learning Passport」を活用した学習支援を柱として計画していましたが、インターネット接続の不安定さや通信速度の課題により、授業での活用は難しい状況でした。そこで方法を見直し、オフラインでも活用できる教育ソフト「GCompris」やタイピングソフト「RapidTyping」を導入し、児童生徒が日常的にICTに触れながら学べる環境づくりを進めています。休み時間や放課後にもPCルームを開放し、子どもたちが自分の意思でICTに触れられる環境を整えています。
停電や機材不足という現地特有の課題に対しても、「停電を言い訳にしない」をモットーに、タブレットの活用や立体的なマウスやキーボードを使った活動、キーボード操作のみでPCを動かす実践的な学習など、遊びの要素を取り入れながら学びを止めない工夫を続けています。
また、持続可能なICT教育環境づくりを目指し、生徒によるPCクラブの活動を立ち上げました。週に一度の「メンテナンスデー」では、PCクラブのメンバーがPCの接続や起動状況の確認、LANケーブルの点検、デスクトップの整理などを行っています。さらに、低学年の授業補助や、起動がうまくいかないPCの確認にも取り組み、生徒同士で知識や技能を共有する機会となっています。こうした活動を通じて、生徒たちはコンピュータの活用方法だけでなく、問題を発見し解決する力や、学校のICT環境を支える責任感を身に付けています。将来的には、隊員の活動終了後も、生徒たち自身がICT機器の管理やトラブル対応を継続できる体制づくりを目指しています。

こうした日々の積み重ねの中で、子どもたちにも少しずつ変化が見られるようになりました。上級生はプロジェクターの接続やBluetoothの設定なども自分たちで行えるようになり、学びに対する自信や主体性が育まれています。また、情報モラルや衛生面についての学びも日常生活へと広がり、家庭でのパソコン利用ルールを自分たちで考え、共有する姿も見られるようになりました。一方で、PC教室の利用制限やインターネット環境といった課題は依然として残っています。それでも、現地の状況に合わせて柔軟な活動を進めています。
更には、日本の高校教諭によるザンビア訪問をきっかけに、生徒同士の手紙やビデオレターのやり取りが続いています。この交流は、子どもたちにとって異文化に触れる貴重な機会であると同時に、相手を思いやる気持ちを育むきっかけにもなっています。「遠くにいる誰かに伝えたい、知りたい」という思いを、子どもたちの中に育てています。
#国際協力

26/06/2026

JICA Zambia Bids Farewell and Welcomes New Team Members

JICA Zambia Office recently bid a heartfelt farewell to Ms. Chika Yuki, Representative for Infrastructure, Water and Environment while warmly welcoming new team members.

Joining the team are:
Ms. Mercy Luwi Katoka – Training Coordinator
Mr. Munehiro Teshima – Successor to Ms. Yuki

During the farewell, JICA staff shared heartfelt messages of appreciation, recognizing Ms. Yuki’s valuable contributions and dedication toward advancing JICA’s mission in Zambia.
As we celebrate her achievements, we also look forward to the fresh perspectives and continued collaboration that our new colleagues bring to the team.

25/06/2026

The JICA Cassiopeia Project has officially marked a major milestone!

“The Project for Strengthening Management Capacity of the General Hospitals in Lusaka District,” widely known as the Cassiopeia Project, successfully came to an end on 25 May 2026 after five years of dedicated technical cooperation in Zambia.

Cassiopeia Project worked closely with the Ministry of Health, Lusaka Provincial Health Office, Lusaka District Health Office, and five First-Level Hospitals in Lusaka District to strengthen hospital management capacity.

Strengthening hospital management systems is fundamental to sustaining and improving the quality of healthcare services. Through the project, efforts were made to establish mechanisms that enable hospitals to report and utilize data, identify challenges, share experiences, engage in multidisciplinary discussions, and implement improvement actions. Communication and collaboration within each hospital, between hospitals, the District Health Office, and the Provincial Health Office were also enhanced.

At the Hospital Management Quality Improvement Forum held toward the end of the Project, each hospital presented its quality improvement activities and shared practical experiences, creating valuable opportunities for collaborative learning. The forum highlighted how effective hospital management and governance can empower healthcare teams to identify challenges, develop solutions, and drive continuous quality improvements in service delivery.

As the JICA Cassiopeia Project ends, we would like to extend our sincere appreciation to all stakeholders from the Zambian side and every project member who contributed over the past five years.
Your dedication, collaboration, and commitment have made this journey truly impactful.
Although the project has officially ended, we remain hopeful that the spirit of partnership and the culture of facility-led improvement nurtured throughout this initiative will continue to grow

JICAカシオペア・プロジェクトが5年間の技術協力を完了

ザンビア・ルサカ郡におけるJICA技術協力プロジェクト「ルサカ郡病院運営管理能力強化プロジェクト（通称Cassiopeia Project）」が、5年間の活動を終えました。
本プロジェクトでは、ザンビア保健省、ルサカ州保健局、ルサカ郡保健局、そしてルサカ郡内の5つの一次レベル病院の皆さまとともに、病院運営管理能力の強化に取り組んできました。

病院運営管理の仕組みを強化することは、日々の医療サービスを支え、質を改善していくための基盤です。プロジェクトを通じて、各病院がデータを報告し、課題を共有し、多職種で話し合い、改善行動につなげていくための仕組みづくりと、病院、郡保健局、州保健局の間のコミュニケーション強化が進められてきました。

プロジェクト終盤に開催された病院マネジメント・質改善フォーラムでは、各病院が自らの質改善活動や実践経験を発表し、互いに学び合いました。そこでは、病院マネジメントとガバナンスの基盤が、現場のチームが自ら考え、工夫し、実践してきた改善を推進し、支える原動力となることを確認できました。

この5年間の活動に関わってくださったザンビア側の関係者とプロジェクトメンバーの皆さまに心より感謝申し上げます。

プロジェクトは終了しましたが、ここで築かれた協働の経験と現場主導の改善の取り組みが、今後の政策・制度への反映も含めて継続し、さらに発展していくことを関係者一同願っています。

25/06/2026

Japanese follows English.

Meet Ms. Miyamoto, a JICA Volunteer working in the field of Welfare and Education for Persons with Disabilities in Mazabuka.

Every day, she dedicates her time to supporting children through lessons focused on Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and more. Understanding that not all children learn best through verbal instructions, she creatively designs teaching materials using pictures, colors, and visual aids to make learning more accessible and engaging.
Through her patience and calm daily interactions, remarkable changes have begun to emerge. Children are now expressing themselves more confidently using gestures and movements, and they appear more relaxed and settled.

One touching impact is the “change in behavior” among the children. She has been consistently picking up trash around the school without telling others to do the same. Over time, children who used to throw trash on the ground have started to dispose it in the trash bins on their own.
This experience has shown that not only words, but also daily actions can also communicate important messages, and that small, consistent actions can lead to meaningful change in others. The volunteer’s calm and attentive attitude toward the children, along with her watchful and caring presence, has brought greater vitality to both the placement site and the students.

宮本隊員はマザブカで活動する障がい児者支援隊員です。現場では日々日常生活動作（ADL）を中心とした授業や生活指導を実施しています。言葉だけでは理解が難しい子どもたちにも伝わるよう、教材や掲示物は絵や色を使って視覚的に分かりやすく工夫し、現地で手に入る段ボールや空き箱、空き缶、トイレットペーパーの芯、チテンゲの端切れなどを活用しながら理解の向上を助けています。また、子どもたち一人ひとりが実際に手に取って使えるよう人数分の教材を用意し、主体的に学べる環境づくりも心がけるなど、様々な工夫を実践しています。
日々穏やかに、そしてメリハリをつける隊員の指導力、更に現地教員の現地語でのサポートを通じて、児童は自ら手を動かし、身振りを使って気持ちや意思を伝えようとする姿が増え、子どもたちが落ち着いた様子も見えるようになってきました。
活動を進めていく中で、特に印象的な出来事は子どもたちの「行動の変化」です。宮本隊員は校内のごみを拾い続けてきました。誰かに拾うよう促すわけでもありません。しばらくすると、これまでその場に捨てていた子どもたちも自らごみ箱に捨てるようになっていったのです。言葉で伝えるだけでなく、日々の姿を通し、態度で示す。小さな行動の積み重ねが誰かの変化につながることを実感しながら活動をしています。隊員が持つ穏やかで児童を見守る態度や眼差し、メリハリのある指導は配属先や児童の学びを深めます。そして彼女自身のモチベーションアップや相互理解にもつながります。
#国際協力

22/06/2026

Mayukwayukwa gets new road and bridge through JICA funded Development of basic Infrastructure (DBI) project

On 15 June, we had the honor of attending a commissioning ceremony officiated by the Vice President of Zambia for a newly completed 25 km road and 120m bridge in Mayukwayukwa Refugee resettlement.
This infrastructure was developed under the DBI project, implemented by UNDP with funding from JICA. The project is expected to benefit over 13,000 former refugees and members of the host community.
The impact of this investment is truly transformative. The upgraded road will significantly improve mobility, access to markets, and delivery of essential social services, helping unlock economic opportunities in the area. The newly constructed bridge will ensure year-round accessibility—especially during the rainy season—allowing children to safely attend school and enabling pregnant women to reach vital maternity services without risk or delay.
This initiative reflects JICA’s continued commitment to supporting the Government of Zambia in strengthening resilience and unlocking productivity in resettlement areas, while promoting inclusive and sustainable development.
The DBI project is a $5.2m worth project that will benefit over 40 000 people in Mayukwayukwa and Meheba refugee resettlements and in the latter phase of the Project, a secondary school with teacher’s houses will be built in Mayukwayukwa as well as 3 boreholes.
The ceremony was officiated by the vice president who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, department of resettlement.
Apart from the DBI, JICA is also implementing a technical project called HOPE 2 in the two resettlement areas which aims to implement livelihood enhancement interventions such as market-oriented agriculture, capacity building of government staff to promote the creation of productive, integrated, and inclusive communities.

17/06/2026

JICA, ZRA & MCTI Partner to Strengthen Nakonde OSBP Operations

One Stop Border Posts (OSBPs) play a critical role in facilitating regional trade by enabling goods, people, and vehicles to stop only once for joint border clearance, reducing delays, lowering costs, and promoting seamless movement along key trade corridors.
From 8–10 June 2026, JICA, in collaboration with the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) and the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry (MCTI), conducted a sensitization workshop at the Nakonde–Tunduma border.
Building on the completed OSBP Capacity Development Project (2020–2025) which strengthened coordination, reduced clearance times, and trained border officials at Chirundu and Kazungula OSBPs, the workshop aimed to sustain these achievements and prepare for the next phase which will begin in October 2026.
The training also responded to the recent upgrade of Nakonde OSBP (March 2026), where modern infrastructure and systems have significantly improved efficiency, reducing truck processing time to about 30 seconds.
Participants from both the public and private sectors refreshed their understanding of OSBP operations, strengthened coordination, and explored ways to further enhance efficient cross-border trade between Zambia and Tanzania.

16/06/2026