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

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.