The South Korean Ambassador to Uganda Park Jong-Dae has asked Uganda to embrace Agriculture Education as well enhance projects monitoring and implementation if it is to achieve her development goals.
He has commended Uganda for her impressive plans saying the only problem underlies in implementing them, before requesting developing countries not to rely on donor support.
“Uganda has got good plans but implementation is the major problem. Let the country focus on Agriculture, education and enhance monitoring. People themselves should monitor their various projects, “Park advised.
“Development aid cannot help developing countries to develop, it just facilitates. Let the mind-set change, they have to develop themselves and this will help Uganda to take off on a right direction,” he added.
Park made the remarks at Protea Hotel Kampala, on Saturday while awarding Ugandan villages for their development initiatives by South Korea under Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and National Saemaul Undong Competition (SMU).
This year’s Grand Prize and Ambassadors award of Shs10 million was awarded to Busanza Village in Kyenjojo Village for development efforts to increase incomes of residents which included making fish ponds and planting pineapples, building 40 Smart Homes ,maintaining 6 community wells among others.
Other communities; Kiboha Village (Kabarole District 2nd ,7M), Naguru Village (Kampala 3rd ,3.5M) ,Bukirya (4th / 2,450,000 Ugx / Sirongko District), Ogwang Apur (5th / 1,750,000 Ugx / Oyam District), Ibu (6th / 1,750,000 Ugx / Oyam District) and Rukungiri (7th / 1,050,000 Ugx / Rukungiri District), also received awards from the South Korea government under the National Saemaul Undong Competition initiative for supporting self-driven development strategies.
The communities were also awarded for standing out when it comes to income generation and transforming themselves and the lives of community members.
Born in 1970, Saemaul Undong (hereinafter SMU) played a pivotal role in transforming South Korea from ashes to riches.
Founded on the three pillars of diligence, self-help and cooperation, the SMU is a mind-set reform and well-being movement wherein the people themselves shape their future development and villages engage in mutually reinforcing competitions.
A growing number of countries around the globe are embracing the SMU as a role model for sustainable development. In Africa alone, SMU villages have been established in Uganda, Tanzania, Madagascar, DR Congo, Senegal and Cote d’Ivoire.