KOICA Egypt holds workshop for volunteer programme partner organisations in Cairo

Daily News Egypt

01-06-2025

The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Egypt Office, South Korea's official development assistance agency, held its 'Annual WFK (World Friends Korea) Volunteer Programme Partner Organisations Workshop' in Cairo on 29 May 2025. The event brought together representatives from KOICA's partner ministries and organisations in Egypt.
The workshop, hosted at the Holiday Inn Maadi Hotel, aimed to enhance understanding of the KOICA Egypt Office'sWFK Volunteer Programme among newly partnering organisations and to facilitate the sharing of best practices and recommendations from current partners. The event was part of KOICA Egypt Office's initiative to broaden cooperation in areas such as Korean language education, physical education, music and art, and computer skills development, delivered through Korean volunteers in local communities across Egyptian governorates.
Thirty participants attended, including representatives from the KOICA Egypt Office. Attendees also represented various Egyptian partner ministries and organisations where KOICA volunteers are active. These included Egypt's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MOYS), Helwan University, Sadat City University, Luxor University, Beni Suef Technological University, the Higher Institute of Tourism and Hotels (EGOTH) in Luxor, the Higher Institute of Tourism and Hotels in 6th of October City, Misr public libraries of Cairo and Luxor, and the Taekwondo Training Centre in Aswan.
Abdullah El Batesh, Assistant Minister of Youth and Sports, attended the workshop, offering congratulations and expressing a commitment to strengthening collaboration for the programme. University leaders also participated, exploring and discussing comprehensive collaboration on Korean language education within the context of tourism development at the higher education level.
The workshop commenced with welcoming remarks from KOICA Egypt Office Country Director Jinyoung Kim and Abdullah El Batesh. This was followed by a comprehensive presentation covering KOICA's volunteer programme framework, the process for requesting and dispatching volunteers, activity outlines, and the undertakings of participating organisations.
The Higher Institute of Tourism and Hotels in Luxor (EGOTH), a long-standing partner organisation, presented its experiences and the benefits derived from working with KOICA volunteers on its campus. Additionally, two currently serving KOICA volunteers, Oh Young Yu (MODLI, Cairo) and Hyeryeong Kim (MISR Public Library, Cairo), shared their on-site experiences and programme outcomes, offering firsthand insights into volunteer activities.
A group discussion followed, during which participants reflected on their collaboration experiences, new partners shared their expectations, and actionable ideas for strengthening cooperation were proposed. This exchange aimed to build mutual understanding and synergy among attendees.
Abdullah El Batesh stated, 'We look forward to applying KOICA's educational models in our youth centers. This workshop provided a valuable opportunity to align with our goals.'
Ghada Tosson, Director of the University-Industry Cooperation Centre of Beni-Suef Technological University, commented, 'We have been cooperating with KOICA volunteers to offer students practical job skills opportunities for Korean language education and computing skills. We hope to strengthen our partnership to further enhance access to job markets for students in the Upper Egypt Region.' Beni-Suef Technological University was established in 2019 with the support of a KOICA grant programme (2016-2028, valued at $14m) and offers bachelor's degree programmes in mechatronics, autotronics, ICT, and railway technology.
Jinyoung Kim, KOICA's Egypt Office Country Director, expressed her gratitude to all partner institutions. She stated,'Today's workshop was a meaningful occasion for planning our shared future and reinforcing our partnership,' and mentioned that active communication among stakeholders and diversified volunteer fields and activities are key to enhancing youth empowerment through the programme.
The KOICA Egypt Office plans to continue working with educational and public institutions across Egypt to nurture young talent, promote cultural exchange, and contribute to sustainable community development. More than 20 volunteers are expected to be dispatched to work with youths across Egypt as of 2025.
KOICA is a South Korean government agency operating under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It implements grant aid programmes aimed at combating poverty and supporting sustainable socio-economic growth in developing countries.
The KOICA Egypt Office, established in 1998, focuses on providing technical education for youths, supporting the digitalisation of government services and systems, and carrying out programmes to address gender-based violence, strengthen women's empowerment, and support vulnerable groups.