On October 20, 2023, the KOICA Rwanda Alumni Association, affectionately known as KORAA, gathered at the Kigali M-hotel to celebrate their remarkable achievements in 2023.
Since its inception in 2015, KORAA has played a pivotal role in fostering knowledge sharing, networking, and cultural exchange between Rwanda and the Republic of Korea.
The General Assembly, attended by a hundred (100) participants representing the 1,084 KORAA members, including current board members, was graced by the presence of Korea’s Ambassador to Rwanda, His Excellency JEONG Woojin, and KOICA Rwanda Country Director, Ms. KIM Jinhwa.
KORAA’s President, Ms. Adeliphine Mukashema, took the stage to provide an overview of the association’s activities in 2023, which saw an expansion of outreach initiatives.
“We were among the first to visit KORONGI to provide donations to those affected by the landslide in the early days of May,” Adeliphine proudly stated.
She expressed gratitude to the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) for their continuous sponsorship of KORAA’s activities, particularly their commitment to financial support for capacity-building programs in Rwanda, including short training courses and full scholarships in Korea.
H.E. JEONG Woojin, who has become fluent in Kinyarwanda since his arrival in Rwanda in July, opened his remark with the Rwandan National anthem and expressed his appreciation for the strong cooperation between Rwanda and South Korea.
He highlighted Korea’s desire to forge lasting friendships worldwide. He also announced that Korea would host the Africa-Korea summit and express the honor of potentially having the presence of the President of Rwanda, H.E Paul Kagame.
Ms. KIM Jinhwa, Country Director of KOICA Rwanda, an unwavering supporter of KORAA’s endeavors, shared her commitment to assisting the association in its activities.
KOICA collaborates with the Government of Rwanda in the development of ICT, education, and rural areas, with a special focus on agriculture. She underscored the pivotal role of capacity building in the programs that KOICA Rwanda sponsors and concluded by stating that KOICA and KORAA were destined to work together indefinitely.
The General Assembly provided an open forum for participants to share their thoughts on past achievements and offered insights into future action plans for the association.
Attendees discussed strategies for successful implementation.
KORAA is a dynamic association established in 2015 with the goal of fostering knowledge sharing, networking, and cultural exchange between Rwanda and the Republic of Korea. Comprising Rwandans who have studied in Korea through the KOICA’s fellowship program (CIAT), KORAA continues to make a significant impact on capacity building and relations between two Countries.
KOICA has a longstanding history of supporting Rwanda, with grant aid programs dating back to 1991, totaling approximately US$150 million across various projects and capacity-building programs.
In 2011, KOICA established its Rwanda Office and currently manages more than ten ongoing projects in the education, agriculture, and ICT sectors, reaffirming its dedication to Rwanda’s development.
