Korean volunteers bring new meaning to Umuganda

Four groups of eight Korean volunteers each living within Rwandan village communities since last year, are teaching citizens the spirit that is believed to have been the Korean development pillar, Seamaul Udong or rural movement.Very similar to Rwanda’s community work-Umuganda and born in the 1950s, the rural movement involves helping rural residents start development projects for self reliance.Mushimba, a village in Gacurabwenge Sector, Kamonyi District is a typical example where the rural movement has been introduced.An eight man team of Korean volunteers went to Mushimba early in 2012 and interacted with the residents to understand their development priorities. Three projects were fronted, including rice and pineapple farming, building village office, water infrastructure and a nursery school. Later on, a new idea of beekeeping emerged. The volunteers then worked alongside residents to implement the projects.Support, not aid According to Yoon Hyojung, one of the volunteers with Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), which implements the rural movement, the projects are not about aid.“Ours is not about aiding people; but supporting their ideas and have them started. It’s not a point to tell people do this or do that.”In the rice farming, 49 residents from Mushimba started a 2 hectare rice plantation in the Mushimba marshland where they harvested over five tonnes in the last season. The field was increased to five hectares early this year.On track Tharcisse Nzabandora, the president of CORIMU - Coopérative des riziculteurs de Mushimba - which has now grown to 102 members, said though the beginning was difficult, they now hope to harvest close to 30 tonnes of rice at the end of the planting season.Nzabandora said KOICA helped them in land irrigation and other techniques they wouldn’t afford themselves. Then, they gave them manure and left them to complete the farming activities.“Since they have now started saving some money, we know that they are able to afford all the farming activities that require rice growing; with time we shall be leaving them all the responsibilities in this activity,” said John Inhyoun, the volunteer programme manager of KOICA office in Rwanda.Leaders of CORIMU said working together has enabled them to meet their daily needs using proceeds from produce.“We know that, these people are here for just some time; we want to be fully self reliant even after their departure,” said Paul Nyetera, the head of Bushimba Cell.Another project, a nursery school built by the residents now accommodates 80 children aged between 4-5 who study in the morning.To join the group each resident pays Rwf2,000 and each member is required to save 10 per cent of the proceeds from harvest earnings. The farmers’ group has saved Rwf300,000 so far while on the nursery school project members have saved Rwf100,000.The responsibility of the resident in every project is at the forefront.Last week, Bushimba village launched a clean water project as a result of residents’ contribution through community work. KOICA supported them with water pipes and some technical support. “Why should the country pay labour for the projects that benefit the people themselves? We involved them as we did while building their hall,” said the rural movement coordinator.Changing mindsetOn June 6, KOICA signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Local Government under which the former will implement a “Multi-year Capacity Development Programme’, Multi-Year Training-of-Trainers (TOT) Programme for Rural Community Development”.As such, the project aims at strengthening institutional capacity to plan and manage rural development programmes and improving training contents for sustainable rural development.Under the pact, four participants from Rwanda (and the other 12 participants from various countries, Ethiopia, Uganda and Tanzania which have the same programme), will go for a study tour to the Republic of Korea for a month every year from 2013 to 2015.However, in Bushimba this programme started last year. Three people were awarded this opportunity to travel to Korea for a month so as to learn about rural development.“From what we saw and heard, we understood that in 1950s, Korea was a poor country, we have learnt what made them to reach their current level of development,” Nyetera, one of the beneficiaries said, adding that the rural movement has earned them alot in development.Nyetera also learnt that ‘time is money. “In the past we thought that when we call for a meeting at 9 am, one can show up at 11am. This is a mindset we have changed and we are also trying to involve others.”A part from this visit to Korea, Nyetera and his colleagues in the village leadership hold several meetings with the Korean volunteers who lead the same rural life. There, they learn a lot which helps them to keep modernity and hygiene. They also teach their neighbours.According to KOICA officials, the main goal of such programme is to strengthen institutional capacity to plan and manage rural development programmes while also improving training contents for sustainable rural development.In Nyamagabe District, the rural movement is involved in projects in Raro and Gasharu villages in Gasaka Sector.“It brings citizens together; they contribute money to invest in small projects where even the poor who do not have money to invest get benefits,” said Philbert Mugisha, the Nyamagabe mayor.KOICA is a Korean governmental agency under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. It was founded in 1991 to implement the government’s grant aid and technical cooperation programmes. It was established in Rwanda since 2011 and its intervention goes into various sectors, including ICT, Education and Rural development to make a better world.

National

Korean volunteers bring new meaning to Umuganda