Page 7 - Memory of the World filled with Color_revised Edition_online

Diligence, Self-help, 10 11

and Cooperation

Saemaul Undong was a proactive movement practically applied
by each villager's hands. Under the motto of 'Diligence, Self-help
and Cooperation,' villagers were the main actors and decision-
makers responsible for the change that was going on in their
hometown. For each village, there were elected leaderships from
both sexes for Saemaul Undong, which encouraged women's social
participation and leadership development. Communal kitchen
and daycare centers operated during the busiest season to make
women available to help with the farm work, showing every part of
cooperation made by all sectors. Town assemblies were arranged
under a democratic process, making agreements on mutual ground.
Minutes of each meeting were sophisticatedly recorded and bore
the signatures of all participants. All funds and budgets were
transparently recorded in accounting books. Saemaul projects gave
rural residents an experience of democratic decision-making and

the spirit of cooperation.

Yearning for a Better Life

1970s Korea was yet recovering from its post-war damages, with
many of its rural population experiencing a lack of food and other
resources. The well-known phrase 'overcoming the barely hump
◆
was commonly used among people, representing how rough it was
to secure food to survive over springtime. This was especially the
case for the rural farming population, which brought a common
goal: to live a better life. Starting by replacing straw roofs to slate
and tiles and mending muddy paths into accessible cement roads,
change sprouted from each villagers' hands. With knowledge
acquired from various training sessions, villagers could directly apply
their education and mend necessary facilities. Roof improvements,
painting, kitchens, toilets, cattle shed composting field, walled fence,
and construction of a temporary water supply facility are several
◆
Barley hump is an idiom expressing lack of
examples. New farming technology allowed better farming, leading
barely (and other grain) in the spring months,
showing that many Koreans had a difficult
to steady earnings, which changed to quite relaxed life patterns.
time due to a poor supply of food resources.
Indeed it was the villagers’ strong will that brought a drastic change.
Continuing Legacy

With its successful implementation, Saemaul Undong continues on
its legacy in poverty eradication and rural community development
for many countries. Along with the Korean government, the United
Nations implemented various Saemaul Projects in Vietnam, Laos,
Cambodia, Rwanda, Nepal, Tanzania, Uganda, etc. The Korea
Saemaul Undong Center operates rural development projects
in many Asian and African countries. The documentary heritage
produced by the original movement created a never-ending ripple
that lasts an example for many others, how a cooperative spirit and
concentrative approach could bring great achievements.