Our Town Inagi 2017: Tomoya Hirakawa

The joy of science for children in Kenya

Mr. Hirakawa, a resident of Koyodai, has been dispatched to teach science in Kenya, East Africa, as a JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) volunteer for two years starting from January 2017.
The assignment is at a public elementary school (8 years) in Runyenges, about two and a half hours by car from Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, where you will teach science to children aged 10 to 14. The assigned school has many children from education-focused families and achieves excellent results in the exams held at graduation, making it one of the top-performing schools in the region.
Mr. Hirakawa strongly expressed, "I want to convey the joy of science to children using what is available on-site. I would be delighted if one of my students develops an interest in science and wins a Nobel Prize." Additionally, after returning to Japan, he looks forward to sharing his experiences in Kenya and the wonders of nature with Japanese children by taking photos of the local scenery and wildlife.
Let's all support Mr. Hirakawa, who is working hard for educational development in Kenya, far away from Japan.