Three Japanese science engagement experts shared their knowledge with South Africans during National Science Week in August, worked (and are still working) at sciences centres, and presented workshops to science centre staff.

They were part of the Japanese Oversees Cooperation Volunteer (JOCV) programme, a one-month long visit for volunteers to work in South Africa, arranged by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) The volunteers, Kazuki Otsuka (an educator), Tayuka Miyaguchi (a volunteer based at Mondi Science Centre for a period of two years) and Kholofelo Nkoe (a project officer at JICA South Africa) were involved in the programme. Otsuka spent a month in South Africa; Miyaguchi has been deployed at Mondi Science Centre for a year now and Nkoe assist with interpretation in order to facilitate communication between the Japanese and the communities that they were servicing.

The volunteers visited three science centres during National Science Week, which took place from 8 to 12 August: Isibusiso Esihle Discovery Centre in Kosi Bay; ArcellorMittal Science Centre in Newcastle (both in KwaZulu-Natal) and the Anglo American Science Centre in Mpumalanga. They engaged with learners, educators and the public, taking part in the programmes offered by these centres during this focus week.

Later in the month they presented a highly successful three-day workshop at SAASTA for science centre staff in which 35 South Africans participated.