Alumni: Yoshinori ASADA  - Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Laos Office

With Mr. Palee (a sempai of IDEC’s Prof. Kaneko’s laboratory) at the Department of Import and Export, Ministry of Industry and Commerce. We often bump into each other at meetings.

 

(Interned at Grameen Bank (Grameen Shakti [Bangladesh] in AY2011 )
I have been working in the JICA Laos Office since March 2017 as a Project Formulation Advisor in the field of governance. My main duties consist of supporting experts in the field of governance, and supporting ongoing technical cooperation projects, as well as creating new projects. Recently I have been mainly involved in efforts to stabilize the public finance of Laos.

 

- Looking back on from your internship until now, what word or phrase would you use to express it?

 

In a marathon. (I feel like I’m running towards a goal at my own pace but I’m still at the 15km point.)

 

- When you do you feel that you are able to make use of your experiences in G.ecbo?

 

When I applied for the G.ecbo program it felt like I was taking a huge leap away from my ordinary everyday life and I can remember being somewhat apprehensive. However, by changing that scared and worried feeling into a more positive feeling, I was able to have lots of good experiences during my internship. This technique of changing anxiety into something more positive when trying to meet a challenge has been extremely helpful in various situations I experienced when I was looking for a job, and also when I am carrying out my job now and in my everyday life too.

 

Holding a discussion about stabilizing the public finance of Laos. Dr. Phetkeo (also a sempai of IDEC’s Prof. Kaneko’s laboratory) from the National Economic Research Institute is my counterpart in Laos. 

 

-What do you feel made a big impression on you and remains with you? What has been developed even further?

 

For my internship with the G.ecbo program, I went to Grameen Shakti, a not-for-profit enterprise in Bangladesh. Frankly speaking, I experienced some difficult times there. Grameen Shakti did not specify what I should do during my internship so I had the feeling that even though I was free to do what I liked, if I didn’t come up with a plan myself, approach others to discuss it with them, make proposals and carry them out, that I would be left behind. After graduating from IDEC, I am now at my new workplace and it seems that many employees are delegated work to do by their organization. However, in my internship I learned how important it is to devise something myself and make proposals. So I try to continue that, even now.

 

-What advice can you share with those who are graduating after you?

 

Take on all kinds of challenges by trying to have fun, enjoying everything including feeling anxious or nervous. It may mean taking a chance but even if you are not successful, you can still be proud of your effort if you give it all you have.

 

Reception duties at the JICA Laos Office 


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