Meet Nanami Jikuya, our friend from Japan with a heart for Ghana
A graduate of Institute of Science Tokyo with a background in global health, Nanami joined GSU-Japan through a friendship with our President and helps us bring our activities to Japanese audiences.
By GSU-Japan
Part of the team behind the 10th Anniversary Symposium · Committee memberMeet the whole team
Nanami Jikuya has a background in international liberal arts and global health. She graduated from Akita International University and completed her graduate studies at Institute of Science Tokyo in September 2026. Her interests are health inequalities, access to healthcare, and the part communities play in keeping people well.
She came to GSU-Japan through Dr Floret Maame Owusu, now our President, whom she met in graduate school. When Nanami visited Ghana for the first time, Floret helped her a great deal, and Nanami remains grateful for her friendship and support.
In Ghana, Nanami visited health facilities, spoke with health workers and community members, and joined health education sessions in schools and churches. The trip gave her a working picture of Ghana's healthcare system and a lasting respect for its culture.
Back in Japan, she is involved with the NGO Reaching Zero-Dose Children, which promotes primary healthcare and raises awareness of children who miss routine immunization. As the only Japanese member involved in GSU events, she has been central to the union's Japanese-language activities, carrying them out on our behalf. She hopes to keep learning from communities and to strengthen ties between Japan and Ghana through health and education.
