Online Reporter
Lovemore Kadzura
Mutare Bureau
THE South Korean government has launched a US$2 million initiative to fund developmental projects in Makoni District, which is expected to improve the lives of thousands of people.
Speaking during the launch of the project yesterday at Inyati Mine High School in Headlands, the Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, Hon Monica Mutsvangwa, said the Seamal Undong project is a direct result of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s approach to international relations, where Zimbabwe is a friend to everyone and an enemy to none. The project will encompass agriculture, water provision and infrastructure development among other initiatives.
“As Zimbabwe is charting its own path to holistic rural and national development, the adoption of the Seamul Undong rural developmental concept stands to provide a myriad of benefits to the nation,” she said.
“Thanks to the bilateral ties that Zimbabwe has with South Korea, we look forward to the full implementation of the cooperation framework governing the planned implementation of the Seamaul Undong Community Development Programme.
“We are grateful for the efforts being undertaken by the Government of South Korea to capacitate government officials and Ward 8 Villager leaders in Seamaul Undong concepts, as shown through the training of three government officials and six village leaders in 2025 and the upcoming training of 10 government officials and 14 village leaders at the 2026 Invitational Training Programme.
“I implore those who will be participating in the training program to learn and understand all the program concepts for implementation back home. May the development priorities of your village be kept paramount, and workplace solutions be crafted for the benefit of all. We would like to thank the government of South Korea for the solid development and cooperation it has been extending to Zimbabwe over the past years.
“Their efforts through interventions such as Climate Action for the Last Mile, Smart Classrooms Initiatives and the provision of university scholarship and technical training opportunities are ably complementing efforts by the government of Zimbabwe to pursue the desired outcomes of its long-term development plans. To the villagers of the 5 Villages that are participating in the programme, I urge you to put your best foot forward and be counted as drivers of the programme’s success. Your full participation in the mutual planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development projects is a vital key to success.”
South Korea Ambassador to Zimbabwe Park Jua Kyung said the Saemaul Undong, or the New Village Movement, helped to transform his country into an economic giant, and if the concept is properly implemented, it can change the lives of many rural dwellers in Zimbabwe.
“The Saemaul Undong or the New Village Movement transformed the Republic of Korea, which was not a wealthy country,” he said.
“Not long ago, our grandparents lived in small mud-walled houses. They struggled with poverty and walked long distances for water. But they had a dream. They did not wait for others to change their lives. They took responsibility. Through the spirit of Diligence, Self-Help and Cooperation, they changed their small villages and eventually, their country.
“Over time, these values transformed infrastructure, but also people’s mindset and confidence. This experience showed us that development is not only about resources, but about people taking ownership of their future.
“With a total budget of over US$2 million, this project will be implemented until 2031 across five villages in Makoni District. This is not a short race but a long journey. We are not here simply to give but to work together so that we become the masters of our own development.”
The Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Advocate Misheck Mugadza said the program is in line with the government’s rural industrialisation and development agenda.
“Through the National Development Strategy 2, the government continues to prioritise rural industrialisation, value addition and community empowerment as key drivers towards the attainment of Vision 2030,” he said.
“The Seamaul Undong Project therefore directly contributes to these national priorities by strengthening grassroots development, enhancing livelihoods and promoting sustainable economic participation at the community level.”
