The JICA Overseas Cooperation Volunteers are dedicated to addressing social issues in developing countries. Upon returning to Japan, many of them draw on their experiences to create new value for society. At the “4th JICA Overseas Cooperation Volunteers Returned Volunteers Social Contribution Awards” held in June, Aya Tsuboi, who is working to solve water problems in Uganda, was selected as the Grand Prize winner. During her time as a volunteer, Tsuboi tackled the challenge of well maintenance and devised a system on-site to collect well usage fees using mobile money. This led her to start her own business, and she continues to work toward improving access to safe water.
Aya Tsuboi, who is working to address Uganda’s water issues (Photo courtesy of Ms. Tsuboi)
“Giving Back to Society” Through Experience with the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers
The “JICA Overseas Cooperation Volunteers: Award for Contributions to Society by Returning Volunteers” recognizes volunteers who have applied the experience they gained as volunteers to address challenges both in Japan and abroad. In this fourth edition of the award, six returning volunteers, including Ms. Tsuboi, were honored.
Among the award recipients—who are active in various fields such as regional revitalization and education, including someone who developed a business model in Malawi to produce and sell fabric accessories with the aim of increasing farmers’ incomes, and someone who leveraged their experience as a Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteer teaching Japanese in Brazil to support the education of children with foreign roots in Japan—Mr. Tsuboi was awarded the Grand Prize.
In his acceptance speech, Mr. Tsuboi said, “Thank you very much for awarding me this Grand Prize. Joining the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers was not merely a turning point in my life, but an experience that profoundly transformed my life itself. By going to the field as a volunteer, I was able to understand why such problems arise from the perspective of the local people and work with them to devise solutions. I believe these experiences were possible only because I was a member of the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers,” she said.
Ms. Tsuboi Giving a Speech
What sparked Mr. Tsuboi’s interest in social issues was an in-house workshop he attended while working at a major electronics manufacturer. While brainstorming business proposals aimed at solving problems in developing countries, he says he realized his limitations, noting, “Without a thorough understanding of the local context, our proposals would remain superficial at best.”
Based on that experience, I began to feel that I wanted to “see the situation on the ground,” and decided to apply for the JICA Overseas Cooperation Volunteers program. In 2018, I was dispatched to Uganda.
Emerging Challenges with Unsustainable Water Infrastructure
In Uganda, Mr. Tsuboi faced the challenge of well maintenance. Although he had understood the severity of the problem even before his deployment—based on reports from past JICA volunteers—he says that witnessing firsthand the wells left broken and neglected, as well as the reality of people who had no choice but to rely on unsanitary water, only strengthened his determination to “do something about it.”
Thinking, “We should just collect the money for the well repairs from the residents,” Mr. Tsuboi decided to go around the village to collect the funds.
However, things didn’t go as planned. “My husband has all the money,” “I can’t pay because I need it for my child’s tuition,” “I don’t have any money right now.” I was turned down for various reasons, and even after visiting more than 100 households, the amount I raised was minimal.
“I kept getting told all sorts of things, and then moving on to the next house—it was a constant cycle. To be honest, I was really exhausted, and I thought, ‘I can’t keep doing this,'” said Ms. Tsuboi.
So, we decided to organize a forum for dialogue with the residents. What became clear during those discussions was that the residents weren’t unable to pay the fees—they simply didn’t want to.
Scene from a community meeting in Uganda (courtesy of Mr. Tsuboi)
“It’s unfair for me to be the only one paying when everyone else isn’t,” and “I’m worried that even if I pay, the money might be misused.” It became clear that there is a sense of unfairness regarding fee collection and a lack of trust in the cash payment system.
To address this challenge, Mr. Tsuboi devised “SUNDA,” a prepaid water billing system that combines mobile money with pay-as-you-go billing. When users top up their mobile money balance, that information is reflected on a dedicated ID tag. The system works by holding the ID tag up to a SUNDA terminal installed at the well, which then deducts the fee for the amount of water drawn from the user’s balance. Because this system enables efficient fee collection, wells can now be repaired immediately even if they break down.
We searched locally for engineers capable of implementing such a system and went through numerous rounds of prototyping and failure. We persisted without giving up, and just before our one-year assignment ended, we were finally able to install the first unit in a well.
“Once we installed SUNDA, the residents’ response was very positive, and we started raising funds,” Mr. Tsuboi recalls. “Even when the well broke, it was repaired right away, so people were pleased that they could use it with peace of mind.”
Changes Brought About by the “System”
A well equipped with SUNDA. The water meter attached to the pump is linked to a mobile payment system, allowing users to pay only for the amount of water they draw (courtesy of Mr. Tsuboi).
Thanks to the implementation of SUNDA, broken wells have been repaired, providing continuous access to safe water. Children who used to walk several kilometers to fetch water are now able to attend school. In addition, the risk of being attacked by wild animals or becoming victims of crime while on their way to fetch water has decreased.
One resident says:
“The village has changed completely. In the past, there were cases where female students would become pregnant (after being raped while fetching water) and have to leave school, but that no longer happens.”
Even after Mr. Tsuboi’s term with the Volunteer Corps ended, SUNDA continued to be utilized locally. Mr. Tsuboi had been serving as a Volunteer Corps member while employed by a major electronics manufacturer, and upon his return to Japan, he had to go back to work. However, if Mr. Tsuboi returned to work and stepped away from SUNDA’s activities, there was a risk that things would revert to the way they were before. Mr. Tsuboi struggled with the decision of whether to stay at the major electronics manufacturer or resign to continue the project.
Driven by the thought that “if I quit now, I’d be letting down the people who were happy for me,” I decided to resign. I chose to launch “Sunda Technology Global” and pursue it as a business.
I moved my base to Uganda and launched the business in earnest with friends I had met during my time with the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers. They faced various challenges, such as strong opposition from villagers to the installation of SUNDA units and the unavailability of certain SUNDA parts within Uganda. Mr. Tsuboi explains that they persevered by engaging in patient dialogue with residents to gain their understanding, sourcing parts not available in Uganda from Japan and China, and working with his team to find solutions through discussion. Their efforts have paid off: to date, more than 300 SUNDA units have been installed across Uganda, enabling many people to access safe water. Moving forward, they aim to strengthen partnerships with companies and organizations to accelerate the further expansion of the program.
Ms. Tsuboi’s experience as a JICA volunteer and the connections she made with people she met during her time with the program changed her life. She repeatedly consulted with other JICA volunteers dispatched to Uganda around the same time about how to collect well usage fees using mobile money. She says the advice she received from her fellow volunteers was extremely helpful in building the SUNDA system.
As a message to those hoping to join the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers, Mr. Tsuboi says the following.
“I firmly believe there are experiences and encounters that can only be had through the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers program. To make the most of this opportunity, I feel it’s important to approach it with a clear sense of purpose—knowing exactly what you want to achieve. I believe the more specific your goals are, the greater the value of that experience will be. The opportunity to join the Volunteer Corps is unique and can’t be found anywhere else. If you’re interested, I encourage you to take on this challenge with your own personal goals in mind.”
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