KABUL (Pajhwok): A retired Japanese engineer has traveled to Afghanistan to complete unfinished uplifts projects initiated by renowned social worker Tetsu Nakamura.
Nakamura was killed in an attack in eastern Nangarhar province in 2019. He had served for 25 years in the country and implemented multiple agricultural development projects in Sheva, Dara-i-Noor, Kama and Behsud districts.
His irrigation project in Afghanistan almost came to a halt following the physician’s death.
But Norio Owa, 73, and others have continued Nakamura’s water supply and greenery-restoration schemes in arid areas of Afghanistan.
“We will be sharing and making full use of our experiences and know-how with local specialists, though we are no comparison to Dr. Nakamura in terms of ability to act and love others,” Owa remarked.
In September, Owa arrived at the construction site of an irrigation canal in eastern Afghanistan, where a 4.3-kilometrer-long water conduit was being set up on a mountain slope.
For nearly four years, Owa has been an engineering member of Peshawar-kai, a Fukuoka-based nongovernmental group. Nakamura headed the group’s local operation in Afghanistan.
Owa had a lively discussion with local staff members in the country over the large-scale project. “Staffers make quick decisions, much to my delight,” he said.
In June 2019, when Owa was a construction consulting firm’s executive, he was “profoundly moved” after hearing Nakamura’s speech.
Owa was astonished not only by Nakamura’s sense of alarm about torrential rains, droughts and other conditions caused by climate change, but also his well-designed procurement and construction methods.
His innovative approaches enabled residents to create and repair facilities on their own. “I couldn’t believe (Nakamura) designed such a huge project all by himself,” Owa commented.
He wanted to offer help to Nakamura after retirement, but the humanitarian doctor was killed before Owa could meet him.
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