KOICA Kenya Office

On May 8, 2026, KOICA and the KOICA Alumni Kenya Chapter (KAKC) successfully conducted the Climate Action for Health activity under the Green Motherhood Project in Kajiado County. The event was attended by the Chief of Keekonyokie South, Mr. Moses; Assistant County Commissioner Mr. Solomon; and Kajiado West Sub-County Deputy County Commissioner Ms. Lydia. The President and four members of KAKC, as well as the Deputy Director of KOICA, also participated in the event.

Driven by the urgent need to address the climate crisis, this initiative recognizes the strong link between climate resilience, food security, and maternal well-being. The team successfully secured 3,000 fruit tree seedlings for distribution across public facilities like schools and health facilities , planting the first 300 alongside local community during the launch. These fruit trees will not only contribute to carbon neutrality but also create an "ecological safety net" against heat stress for vulnerable populations.

Furthermore, this project tackles local nutritional challenges. By providing accessible sources of nutrients such as vitamins and folic acid, these trees will directly support pregnant women and growing infants in areas where fresh fruit markets are distant and expensive. Ms. Lydia Muniyi, Deputy County Commissioner of Kajiado West Sub-County, highlighted that the initiative would enable not only mothers and children but also elderly community members to access nutritious fruits from the planted trees, contributing to a healthier and more sustainable community.

This collaborative, grassroots effort highlights the strong, ongoing partnership between the Republic of Korea and Kenya. We are proud to see our KAKC alumni leading holistic, community-driven solutions.

KOICA Kenya always supports sustainable development that uplifts both the environment and human life.

From April 27 to 30, 2026, the KOICA Kenya Office, led by Deputy Director Ms. Hwayeong Bae, conducted a comprehensive monitoring visit to Turkana County to oversee the progress of Strengthening County Resilience against WASH-related Climate Crisis in Turkana, Kenya (SCORE) Project’s the second phase and strengthen partnerships with local authorities.

During the visit, the KOICA team met with the Deputy County Secretary of Turkana, Hon. Nyanga Ekitela to ensure our ongoing interventions align perfectly with the county's strategic agendas for water resource management and health. To maximize efficiency and prevent duplicate investments in the region, the project is actively supporting a comprehensive Water Audit and updating the county's digital water management systems, including a GIS-based cloud dashboard.

On the ground, the team witnessed remarkable progress in community health and sanitation. KOICA proudly participated in a milestone Open Defecation Free (ODF) ceremony celebrating fourteen villages within the Nadoto Community Unit, marking a significant step forward in regional public health. The monitoring team also inspected household sanitation facilities.

Furthermore, the transition from manual pumps to solar-powered water systems across various villages has significantly reduced water collection times for communities. This enhanced access is already yielding secondary benefits, such as supporting new community kitchen gardens. To ensure long-term sustainability, local Water User Associations (WUAs) have been established to independently manage the new facilities. By collecting nominal user fees, these communities are successfully creating self-sustaining funds for future maintenance and parts replacement, ensuring reliable water access for years to come.

This successful mission underscores the robust cooperation between the Republic of Korea (KOICA) and Kenya. By working closely with UNICEF Kenya, County Government of Turkana and local partners, we are driving sustainable and community-centered Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) solutions.

KOICA Kenya always supports sustainable development and community resilience.

KOICA is implementing a three-year course titled, “Capacity Building for the Government Officials on Digital Competency” for the relevant government ministries in Kenya. The program aims to strengthen the capacities of government officials in digital governance and ICT policy-making by sharing Korea's proven experiences, thereby contributing to administrative innovation and sustainable digital transformation.

For both the first and the ongoing second phase of the program, the training has been conducted in Korea as part of an invitational program.

This year’s cohort, consisting of three officials, has traveled to Korea from 6 - 15 May. During their stay, they will enhance their digital competency by exploring Korea’s advanced e-government systems, develop policy-making skills focusing on digital transformation and innovation, and build a strong network for continuous knowledge sharing and cooperation.

KOICA is confident that the participants will share the knowledge and skills acquired during the program and work to integrate these lessons into their institutional practices, ensuring effective planning and management of projects in the digital governance sector.

On 8 May, KOICA Kenya had the privilege of hosting Shoko Noda, Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations, and Director of the UNDP Crisis Bureau.

During the meeting, Ms. Noda shared reflections from her recent visit to Somalia, including the KOICA-UNDP supported vocational training center. She noted that the visit left a strong impression on her and gave her a genuine sense of hope for Somalia’s future. She also highlighted the Somali government’s growing commitment to moving beyond humanitarian assistance toward recovery and resilience.

KOICA Kenya and UNDP held productive discussions on expanding cooperation in Somalia, including opportunities to further strengthen partnerships and engage the private sector in supporting sustainable recovery and peacebuilding.

Since 2024, KOICA has been partnering with UNDP in Somalia to support efforts on preventing violent extremism and sustaining peace. KOICA remains committed to supporting long-term peace and resilience in fragile and conflict-affected settings.

On 30th April 2026, the KOICA Deputy Country Director, Ms. Jooyoung Baek, paid a courtesy call to the Principal Secretary for Medical Services, Dr. Ouma Oluga, at Afya House. She was accompanied by KOICA colleagues, the CECM for Health, Kajiado County, Mr. Alex Kilouwa, and representatives from implementing partners—Kenya Good Neighbours (KGN) and the consortium of Ewha Womans University and Hyundai Asan—currently delivering Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNH) and Specialized Medical Centre (MAMTOTO) projects in Kajiado County.

The meeting focused on key agenda items, including the introduction and progress of KOICA-supported initiatives in Kajiado County. Discussions highlighted milestones achieved under the MNH project, alongside the proposed implementation roadmap for the Kitengela Specialized Medical Centre (SMC), planned for 2025–2030. The team also presented progress on establishing four skills labs and developing a skills lab curriculum, jointly prepared by KGN, Aga Khan University, and the Kajiado County Department of Medical Services.

KOICA requested the Ministry’s support in several areas: assigning the Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) team to review the skills lab curriculum and support its rollout; facilitating tax exemption approvals for medical equipment already submitted; and expediting the signing of the Grant Agreement to enable timely project commencement.

The Principal Secretary, accompanied by Ms. Vesca Kangogo (Health Advisor) and the RMNCAH team led by Dr. Janet Kirimi, expressed appreciation to KOICA and the Government of the Republic of Korea for their continued support. He noted that the MNH initiatives in Kajiado County are well aligned with the Government’s priorities, emphasizing the national commitment to eliminating preventable maternal deaths.

In response, the PS committed to immediate action on the requests raised. He directed the RMNCAH team to collaborate with KGN in operationalizing the skills laboratories and indicated interest in scaling similar interventions across 26 counties with high MNH burden. He further assured that his office would expedite the review and signing of the Grant Agreement for the SMC project and facilitate timely approval of tax exemptions for medical equipment.

From April 19 to April 25, KOICA Kenya, led by Country Director Mr. Wankyu Park, conducted a field mission for the “Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Natural Resource Management for Integrated Community Development in National Parks of Madagascar (BIOCOM)” project (2020–2026).

This project aims to restore forest ecosystems, strengthen natural resource management capacities, and improve the livelihoods of communities living around key national parks in Madagascar.

As part of this monitoring mission, the team visited Marojejy National Park to observe ecological conditions, inspecting bungalows constructed under the project, which promote environmentally friendly tourism and local income generation. In addition, the team met with the local Water Committee, confirming that the installation of water taps has led to positive community outcomes, including a reduction in waterborne diseases.
Additionally, visits to local schools provided insight into the implementation of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), where students are learning a variety of subjects, including environmental conservation and sustainability-related themes.
Furthermore, the team visited a fish farm supported by the project, where beneficiaries are developing alternative livelihoods and gradually reducing their reliance on forest resources through sustainable income-generating activities.

On April 21, KOICA attended the graduation ceremony and dormitory inauguration at the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Center in Sambava. Established in 2023, this center provides training in metallurgy and masonry, focusing on equipping youth with practical skills that offer viable alternatives to activities contributing to forest degradation. During the ceremony, the Country Director emphasized the importance of empowering youth with practical skills and hope for the future, drawing from Korea’s own development experience.

Finally, on April 24, KOICA participated in the project completion ceremony, reflecting on key achievements and reaffirming its commitment to sustainability and continued partnership beyond the project's closure.

Through BIOCOM, KOICA reiterated that restoring forests goes hand in hand with restoring livelihoods and that sustainable change begins when nature and communities grow together.

🎓 KOICA has implemented a three-year course titled, “Capacity Building on Emergency and Critical Care for Lecturers” for the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) in Kenya. The program aimed to establish a self-sustaining education system through hands-on training and the development of local instructors. The three-year course has now been successfully completed.

During the second phase of the program, the training was conducted physically in Kenya, where participants had the opportunity to interact directly with experts from Korea. The first and third phases were conducted in Korea as part of an invitational program.

This year’s cohort traveled to Korea on 12 -25 April, where they gained an overview of the Korean healthcare system, explored the quality of medical services, and strengthened both their theoretical and practical knowledge in emergency and critical care.

During the course completion ceremony, participants expressed their sincere gratitude to KOICA and the implementing partner, Inha University in Korea, for the valuable opportunity provided to them.

KOICA is confident that the participants will share the knowledge and skills acquired during the program and work to integrate these lessons into their institutional practices, contributing to overall improvement in healthcare education and service delivery.

On March 31, 2026, KOICA and the KOICA Alumni Kenya Chapter (KAKC) held a kick-off meeting.

The meeting was honored by the presence of the Country Director of the KOICA Kenya Office, along with five KAKC committee members, including the President of the KAKC, Angela Mukiri.

KAKC is a voluntary organization formed by KOICA fellows. Through knowledge sharing and dissemination, networking activities, and climate resilience initiatives, KAKC aims to maintain strong ties among fellows while promoting exchange and collaboration between Korea and Kenya.

During the meeting, KAKC committee members and the KOICA Kenya Office gathered to establish the 2026 annual plan and discuss upcoming activities, including the establishment and operation of new regional sub-groups, as well as strategies to promote the recruitment of new KAKC members. The committee and KOICA Kenya also discussed on the overall management and operational direction of 2026 KAKC.

The meeting also served as an opportunity to strengthen the partnership between KOICA and KAKC, and we reaffirm our commitment to future cooperation. We look forward to your continued support and interest in KAKC’s upcoming activities in 2026.

Last week, the Korean Ambassador to Kenya, H.E. Kang Hyung-shik, accompanied by KOICA Country Director, Mr. Wankyu Park, paid a courtesy visit to the NITA Athi River Centre, where they were warmly received by the NITA team led by the Director General, Ms. Theresa Wasike.

Discussions centered on the rapidly evolving world of work, driven by technological advancements and shifting industry demands. Both sides reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening collaboration, particularly in capacity development, the introduction of emerging technologies, and program exchanges.

The partnership between the Government of the Republic of Korea and the Government of Kenya at NITA dates back to 1992, marked by the establishment of the Technology Development Centre with support from the Export-Import Bank of Korea. This collaboration was further strengthened in 2015 through a KOICA-supported project at NITA Mombasa, which delivered infrastructure development, equipment, and capacity building.

Building on this strong foundation, KOICA and NITA are embarking on a new phase of collaboration in 2026. This phase will focus on the construction of modern training facilities, enhanced capacity-building initiatives, and the establishment of a Career Development Unit.

H.E. the Ambassador emphasized the importance of continued investment in education, technology, and research & development as key drivers of skills development—areas where the Korea–Kenya partnership continues to make meaningful impact.

We look forward to further strengthening this long-standing partnership and unlocking new opportunities for skills development and innovation in Kenya.