KOICA Alumni Challenged to Drive Local Development Using South Korean Training

Ugandan beneficiaries of South Korean training programmes have been urged to translate the knowledge and skills acquired abroad into practical solutions for local communities and national development. The call was issued during the 2026 Annual General Meeting of the KOICA Club of Uganda (KOCU), held in Kololo, Kampala, under the theme “From Learning to Action.”

Over the past six decades, Uganda and South Korea have maintained strong bilateral relations focused partly on human resource development. Through initiatives like the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the Korea Program on International Agriculture (KOPIA), and the Korea Foundation for International Healthcare (KOFIH), over 2,000 Ugandans have received postgraduate scholarships and professional training.

Addressing the delegates, Dasom Shin from the Embassy of the Republic of Korea emphasized that bilateral relations are fundamentally built on people, urging alumni to view themselves as key partners in national progress. KOICA Country Director Jongsu Yi further challenged the former scholars to ensure their education produces tangible local results by networking across sectors such as health, agriculture, and digital governance.

Practical examples of this impact are already visible. Arnold Ayebazibwe, a KOICA scholarship recipient who studied Agriculture Production and Food Security, utilized his expertise as a Senior Agriculture Officer to mobilize communities in planting high-value fruit trees, boosting both livelihoods and environmental conservation.

The KOICA Club of Uganda continues to serve as an active platform for alumni engagement. Throughout 2026, members carried out sensitization campaigns on sanitation, clean cooking, and tree planting across districts including Ntungamo, Kabale, Gomba, and Masaka. These initiatives align closely with Uganda’s National Development Plan IV and global sustainability goals.

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