South Korean President Advances Community Development Collaboration with Zambia
Mr. Kwak Dae Hoon, the President of South Korea’s ‘Saemaul Undong,’ is currently in Zambia for a series of engagements focused on fostering community development.
The Saemaul Undong project, currently underway in Mwachiyaba and Shakulya villages in Kafue District, and Nanduba and Nansenga villages in Chikankata District, aims to empower communities through self-help, mindset change, and cooperation.
During his visit, Mr. Hoon met with the Minister of Community Development and Social Services, Ms. Doreen Mwamba, to discuss the progress of the Saemaul Undong project in the four villages. The primary objective of the discussions was to strengthen working strategies for enhancing human development and community well-being.
Minister Mwamba expressed the government’s eagerness to implement the project and ensure that its philosophy and strategies align with Zambia’s developmental aspirations. She commended the Saemaul Undong project, which recently secured over $70,000 in annual funding, as a significant contribution to community transformation and empowerment.
“On behalf of our Republican President, Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, we fully welcome this milestone project, and Zambia will never be the same again,” stated Minister Mwamba.
She appreciated Mr. Hoon for considering Zambia as a vital participant in such an impactful program, emphasizing its alignment with the government’s social security agenda and goals for food security at various levels.
Mr. Hoon, expected to inspect the project’s implementation in Kafue and Chikankata, acknowledged the Zambian Government’s strong efforts to improve the lives of vulnerable populations.
He recognized the importance of social security initiatives and applauded Zambia’s commitment to empowering villages through various social protection programs aimed at poverty elimination.
Encouraging strict monitoring of the Saemaul Undong project for its success, Mr. Hoon emphasized the need for the initiative to have a significant and positive impact on the communities involved.
The collaboration between South Korea’s Saemaul Undong and Zambia represents a promising stride towards community development, with the potential to bring about positive transformation and empowerment for the people in the participating villages. As the inspection of the project progresses, both nations look forward to the tangible outcomes and lasting benefits it may bring to the local communities.
