KOICA Holds WFK Program Partner Organization Workshop in Cairo

The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), South Korea’s official development assistance agency, held the “Annual WFK (World Friends Korea) Volunteer Program Partner Organizations Workshop” on May 29, 2025, at the Holiday Inn Maadi Hotel in Cairo, Egypt. The event was attended by 30 participants, including representatives from the KOICA Egypt Office and its partner ministries and organizations where KOICA volunteers are actively serving in various fields.

The purpose of the workshop was to promote the understanding of the KOICA Egypt Office’s WFK Volunteer Program among newly partnering organizations and to share best practices and recommendations from current organizations. This event took place in line with the KOICA Egypt Office’s initiative to expand the cooperation in areas such as Korean Language education, physical education, music and art, and computer skills development through Korean volunteers in local communities across the Egyptian governorates.

Participants included representatives from Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Ministry of Youth and Sports (MOYS), Helwan University, Sadat City University, Luxor university, Beni Suef Technological University, the Higher Institute of Tourism and Hotels (EGOTH) in Luxor, the Higher Institute of Tourism and Hotels in 6th of October City, Misr public libraries of Cairo and Luxor, and Taekwondo Training Center in Aswan. Notably, Dr. Abdullah El Batesh, Assistant Minister of Youth and Sports, attended to offer congratulations and to strengthen the collaboration for this program. At the higher education level, university leaders also took part in exploring and discussing the comprehensive collaboration of Korean language education in the context of tourism development at the higher education level. The workshop started with welcoming remarks from KOICA Egypt Office Country Director Ms. Jinyoung Kim and Dr. Abdullah El Batesh, followed by a comprehensive presentation covering KOICA’s volunteer program framework, volunteer demand request/dispatch process, activity outlines, and participating organizations’ undertakings. The Higher Institute of Tourism and Hotels in Luxor (EGOTH), a long-standing partner organization, presented its vivid experiences and benefits from working with KOICA volunteers on the campus, and two currently serving KOICA volunteers, Mr. Oh Young Yu (MODLI, Cairo) and Mrs. Hyeryeong Kim (MISR Public Library, Cairo), shared their on-site experiences and program outcomes, offering firsthand insights on volunteer activities.

A group discussion followed, where participants reflected on collaboration experiences, shared expectations from new partners, and proposed actionable ideas for strengthening cooperation. The exchange helped build mutual understanding and synergy among participants.

Dr. Abdullah El Batesh stated, “We look forward to applying KOICA’s educational models in our youth centers. This workshop provided a valuable opportunity to align with our goals.”

Dr. Ghada Tosson, Director of the University-Industry Cooperation Center of Beni-Suef Technological University, commented, "We have been cooperating with KOICA volunteers to offer students practical job skills opportunities for Korean language education and computing skills. We hope to strengthen our partnership to further enhance access to job markets for students in the Upper Egypt Region.” Beni-Suef Technological University was established in 2019 with the support of the KOICA grant program (2016~2028/14 million USD) and provides bachelor's degree programs in mechatronics, autotronics, ICT and rail way technology.

For her part, KOICA’s Egypt Office Country Director, expressed her gratitude to all partner institutions, stating, “Today’s workshop was a meaningful occasion for planning our shared future and reinforcing our partnership,” mentioning that active communication among stakeholders and diversified volunteer fields/activities are key to enhancing youth empowerment through the program.

KOICA Egypt Office plans to continue working with educational and public institutions across Egypt to nurture young talent, promote cultural exchange, and contribute to sustainable community development. More than 20 volunteers are expected to be dispatched and work with youths across Egypt as of 2025.

KOICA is a Korean government agency under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, implements grant aid programs aiming to combat poverty and support sustainable socio-economic growth in developing countries.

The KOICA Egypt Office, established in 1998, provides technical education for youths, supports the digitalization of government services and systems, and carries out programs to address gender-based violence, strengthen women's empowerment, and support vulnerable groups