By Joji Murakami, Development Partnership Officer, UNDP in Mongolia

I am Joji Murakami, Development Partnership Officer at UNDP Mongolia, and I have been working here for about a year. In this blog, I would like to share my journey in the development sector and a bit about my personal story.

The Beginning: From Physical Education Teacher to Aspiring Global Educator

After graduating from university, I began my career as a physical education teacher at a high school in Japan. During a summer holiday, I traveled to Cambodia, where I was approached by numerous street children begging for help. This experience left me deeply shocked and inspired me to contribute to providing equal educational opportunities for all children. 

Before this trip, I had never traveled abroad and could not imagine the challenges faced by children lacking access to education. That trip set my lifelong goal: to contribute to global development and achieve SDG 4 – quality education for all. However, I quickly realized most jobs in the development sector required English proficiency and master’s degree. At the time, I had neither. Determined, I spent three years studying English after work, eventually achieving the required proficiency to enroll in a master’s programme in the UK. There, I majored in Education with a focus on Policy and International Development.

Gaining Experience: My Journey of Volunteerism

After earning my master’s degree, I faced the challenge of not having enough experience to secure a job in the development sector. To address this, I joined the JICA Volunteer Programme and was selected to work as a teacher at a national facility for abandoned disabled children in Delhi, India. This marked the first step in my journey. 

In India, I was the only foreigner at my workplace, but my Indian colleagues were incredibly supportive. One of the most memorable initiatives I organized was a Japan Festival for the children and staff. With the help of other volunteers, we introduced activities such as sports, Japanese hand-clapping games, and calligraphy. The event broadened the children’s horizons, offering them a rare opportunity to engage with Japanese culture. While organizing the festival was challenging, the smiles and joy of the children and staff made it all worthwhile. This experience also helped develop interpersonal skills and strengthened my resolve to work in the development sector.  

Following my volunteer experience, I worked as a short-term consultant for UNESCO India, focusing on educational development. I then returned to Japan to work at JICA Headquarters in the communications department, where I promoted Japan’s contributions to global development and educated schoolchildren about international cooperation. Later, I joined JICA Mongolia, where I managed technical assistance projects, advised consultants, and coordinated project inputs.