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Localising SDGs in Rural Uganda: Learning Active Citizenship Through the Saemaul Undong Model

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Sustainable Development Goals for Society Vol. 1

Part of the book series: Sustainable Development Goals Series ((SDGS))

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Abstract

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are premised on the principles of ‘leaving no one behind’ and transformative development. Achieving the goals requires active citizens that are engaged in community development and claiming their rights. The chapter explores the ways in which a local NGO uses Saemaul Undong (SMU), a Korean community development model, to localise holistic achievement of a number of SDGs. Drawing on theories of the travel of global ideas in institutional sociology and based on participatory research including in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and participation in community activities, the chapter analyses how SMU’s three pillars of self-help, diligence and cooperation were domesticated and translated in a local community in western Uganda. Findings show how the pillars were translated into practices of active citizenship such as hard work, responsibility and enhanced participation, which contributed to the improvement of livelihoods and to general efforts of local realisation of SDGs. The process successfully promoted active citizenship as community development. As a consequence, the chapter recommends that localisation of SDGs needs to emphasise the promotion of active citizenship to support their holistic achievement in the spirit of enhancing inclusive development.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    In an interview with the founder, who is also the executive director, he revealed that although the NGO keeps changing and responding to many global and national development forces, COVOID remains focused on ensuring the well-being of children, a vision he emphasised can only be realised if the general community, especially women, overcome poverty and are able to provide the basic necessities of life.

  2. 2.

    When the SMU model was introduced, the locals could not easily pronounce the words Saemaul Undong, and instead localised it to Samwiri (Samuel) Odongo. Samuel, pronounced Samwiri, is a popular Christian/biblical name in Uganda, while Odongo is a popular name in Acholi, one of the dominant ethnic groups in northern Uganda.

  3. 3.

    In Uganda, Sembule iron sheets are high-gauge and high-end pre-painted coloured roofing materials often used by rich people and, therefore, in many communities they are a mark of social class. This is in contrast to the low-gauge white iron sheets predominantly used by low-income earners.

  4. 4.

    The SMU village competition is organised and sponsored by the Korean Government through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Government of Uganda.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Social Sciences and Philosophy, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland

    Karembe F. Ahimbisibwe & Tiina Kontinen

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  1. Karembe F. Ahimbisibwe
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  2. Tiina Kontinen
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Exxaro Chair in Business and Climate Change, Institute for Corporate Citizenship, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa

    Godwell Nhamo

  2. Department of Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa, Florida, South Africa

    Muchaiteyi Togo

  3. Department of Hospitality Tourism and PR, Vaal University of Technology, Vanderbijlpark, South Africa

    Kaitano Dube

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Ahimbisibwe, K.F., Kontinen, T. (2021). Localising SDGs in Rural Uganda: Learning Active Citizenship Through the Saemaul Undong Model. In: Nhamo, G., Togo, M., Dube, K. (eds) Sustainable Development Goals for Society Vol. 1. Sustainable Development Goals Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-70948-8_3

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