[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Min-young] The positive influence of Saemaeul Geumgo, established in Uganda in 2018, is once again being highlighted amid the COVID-19 crisis.
According to Saemaeul Geumgo on the 29th, since Uganda's first confirmed COVID-19 case on March 22, various restrictions such as border closures and bans on public transportation and private vehicle operation have been implemented, causing many citizens to face difficulties.
In particular, elderly people in rural areas, who are socially vulnerable, have lost access to caregiving services and even food supply has become difficult, making their fight against COVID-19 very challenging.
The local Saemaeul Geumgo, Bwamulamira Saemaeul Geumgo, established with the help of Korea's Saemaeul Geumgo Central Association, has stepped up as a supporter for these vulnerable groups. Despite the difficult situation for all members, they contributed money little by little. With the collected funds, they purchased corn flour and delivered it to the village elders.
The story of Uganda's Bwamulamira Saemaeul Geumgo, which conveyed warm comfort and hope, was recently featured in global cooperative news.
In this way, amid the COVID-19 crisis, the Korean Saemaeul Geumgo model is emerging as a new alternative for financial inclusion to solve the problem of financial exclusion in Uganda's rural areas. Ugandans who used to bury money underground and suffer great damage from termites, and women who made pockets around their waists to hide money from their husbands, are now saving at Saemaeul Geumgo and nurturing dreams for the future.
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