Paving a Way Through the Forest: Strengthening Decision-Making Pathways for African Alumni of Japanese Scholarship Programmes

By Yongo Salasini, alumna of the University of Tokyo and recipient of a Japanese Government Scholarship.

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I have always been drawn to the wealth of metaphors that trees and forests offer for life.

Nature — often called "mother" — teaches quietly but persistently. As an African, born and raised in Zambia in a family that values trees and the environments they sustain, I grew up with a deep appreciation for forests. When I later encountered Japanese society, I was struck by a similar reverence for nature. In that shared appreciation, I sensed a subtle cultural bridge.

A forest is beautiful. It is abundant. It is alive.

But for the unaccustomed traveller, it can also be disorienting.

Anyone who has gone hiking without a clear trail knows how quickly one can feel swallowed by density — especially in the rainy season, when the foliage is thick and the path less visible. The forest does not intend harm; it simply demands discernment.

And what does this have to do with the career of a young African professional graduating from a Japanese institution?

Perhaps more than we might think .....

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