Three communities that were assisted by the Republic of Korea Government under their Saemul Undong (SMU) programme with a total sum of $512,140 since 2020 all met up today for the first time to discuss the various projects undertaken in their villages.
Assistant Minister for Rural and Maritime Development Jovesa Vocea says these communities were selected based on the ability to be ale to transfer the initiative into a sustainable development model.
Vocea says this was done through a joint partnership of community members and SMU facilitators, and also the integration of characteristics of the villages based on the ‘can do spirit’ on the pillars of ‘diligence, cooperation and self-help.’
The Assistant Minister says this development concept is also expected to strengthen our ‘solesolevaki’ approach which has already existed and proven to be the strength of our rural communities when it comes to working towards a common goal.
He says this rural development model is aimed at renewing the mindset of rural Fiji, to bring about improvements in quality of life and living standards.
The villages assisted in this pilot project are Naimasimasi, Silana, and Mau in Namosi.
Vocea says works that happened in these villages include improvement of sanitation facilities from pit toilets to flush toilets and the construction of septic tanks and also in water improvement, such as dam and water catchment improvements. They also upgraded their community halls, constructed footpaths and village drain constructions as well as waste management improvement.
He says from next year, these three communities will be elevated to self help villages, while another set of villages have been identified to be recipients of this rural development initiative.
Upon questioning from fijivillage News on where to from here, Vocea says at the moment they are concentrating in the Central Division.
