WNF is a network that hopes to foster the pursuit of “South-South Cooperation” through the network of AOTS Alumni Societies. It has been almost 20 years since 1991, when the WNF Fund (the name at the time was “Alumni Society Exchange Fund”) was established, and during this time, a self-supporting program planned by the alumni societies has been established and is running.
As of fiscal year 2009, a total of 154 programs have run, contributing to the development of 976 persons. The programs have had the cooperation of not only the alumni societies. Some programs have received cooperation from local governmental agencies, industry associations, and private companies, aiming for the achievement of a greater ripple effect.
However, it is a fact that the reduction in donations and lack of new programs to attract the attention of participants are significant issues. At the Alumni Society Representatives Meeting held at the Yokohama Kenshu Center (YKC) in October of last year, the question of “whether laissez-faire (allowing self autonomy without intervention) is really a good idea” was debated with great seriousness. The Alumni Society as a whole decided that it would adopt measures to see if it could address these issues.
In the past, the WNF Executive Committee had convened in conjunction with large meetings like the Alumni Society Representatives Meeting, but it was decided to “strike while the iron is hot,” and so this time the WNF Executive Committee meeting was held on its own.
The Executive Committee is comprised of one representative from each of six regional Alumni Society associations and one secretary, for a total of seven people. This time, attendees were one person from each of Sudan, Sri Lanka, Brazil, Bulgaria, Thailand, and China, and a staff member from AOTS. A topic of great heated debate was ways to improve WNF operations and methods.
From this, it was noted that a beneficial cycle should be fostered through the creation of programs that are attractive to potential participants by improving quality, and then appealing for donations from both within the organization and outside of the organization.
With increased donations, program quality and the number of programs would increase. It was resolved that the Alumni Societies and the AOTS secretariat would cooperate to create the necessary structure and procedures in order to foster this.
Improving the website, thorough reporting and evaluation, promotional activities, and strengthening of each Alumni Society’s publicity activities are each things that will be done in the future.
Outline of Resolutions
Clarify and simplify the paperwork needed to join WNF
Create a framework for sharing information and training needs
Strengthen reporting, evaluation, and publicity
Work to increase the amount of donations
Implement a three country cooperative pilot program
Representatives of Bulgaria, Thailand and Brazil.
Operations Committee Members (from left and up, representative from
Japan, Bulgaria, Brazil, Sri Lanka, China, Japan, Thailand, Japan, Japan and Sudan)
Operations Committee Members(from left: , Japan, Thailand, Japan, Brazil, Sudan and Bulgaria)
8th WNF Executive Committee
WNF welcomes donations from anyone who believes in its goal of fostering self-supporting human resources development and technical cooperation among countries of the developing world. For more information, please visit the AOTS webpage.
http://www.aots.or.jp/jp/about/dosokai/wnf_j.html
Contact: information@aots.or.jp
Association for Overseas Technical Scholarship (NPO) Attention: WNF
WNF Symbol Mark
This mark stands for the “South-South Cooperative Activity” of the AOTS Alumni Societies which hope to foster self-help and mutual cooperation among industrializing countries. The mark was adopted by a vote at the Fifth AOTS Alumni Society Representatives Meeting (Aichi) in September 1997 (veja a marca no artigo da Kenshu Magazine).
Na foto, temos, da esquerda para a direita, o presidente da associação do Mombushoo, Prof. Fernando Gil Resende Jr., o Consul Geral Adjunto e responsável pela realização do evento, Consul Hajime Kimura, o presidente da AOTS Alumni do Rio de Janeiro, Prof. Eng° Marcelo Rodrigues Pereira e o diretor adjunto de comunicação e marketing da AOTS, D.I. Ricardo Pereira.