The Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) just celebrated its 40th anniversary of operating in the Dominican Republic. The first four volunteers arrived in 1985, and these have been followed by another 1,066 volunteers throughout the years.
These volunteers have ranged in age from 20 to 69, representing college students and highly experienced professionals.
They have worked with government institutions, NGOs, schools and universities.
They have represented 130 specialized areas, covering everything from primary education, sports, and culture all the way to health, environment and farming.
There are currently 27 JICA volunteers in the Dominican Republic. They are located in the National District, East Santo Domingo, Santiago, Azua, San Juan, Hermanas Mirabal (Salcedo), La Romana, Samana, and Monte Plata.
Overall, the Embassy of Japan explained that the JICA Volunteers Program is aprt of the technical cooperation of the Japanese government and has sent more than 57,000 volunteers to 94 countries since its creation in August 1974. The host country recipient usually pays the living expenses of the volunteer.
Read more in Spanish:
Diario Libre
El Dia
Japan Embassy
1 December 2025