As a member of JICA’s Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV), I was engaged in a programme for one year to promote rugby and improve local people’s athletic performance in Indonesia. My activities went beyond the capital city of Jakarta to nine other areas in the country. I also lectured on the environment as part of my rugby activities and provided young boys and girls with opportunities to cooperate with each other and experience the joy of playing.

In the programme to promote rugby, I taught approximately 4,700 children to play rugby in the style involving no body contact. The participants greatly enjoyed playing rugby and doing other physical activities more actively. Following the programme, I had children and teachers collect garbage at the programme venues, and sort it before disposal as part of the environment education programme.