The United Korean Association in Africa and Middle East and United Business Association in Africa and Middle East will resume after a six-year hiatus Well of Peace, their joint project for building wells in remote areas of Africa and the Middle East suffering from water shortages. Shown is a photo is of a regular meeting of the business organization on March 1 in Bangkok, Thailand. (United Korean Association in Africa and Middle East)

By Lee Jihae

Well of Peace, a project organized by ethnic Koreans in Africa and the Middle East, will be resumed after a six-year hiatus.

The initiative seeks to build wells for residents in remote areas of Africa and the Middle East suffering from a lack of clean water.

Yonhap News of Korea on May 7 said the United Korean Association in Africa and Middle East and United Business Association in Africa and Middle East in an executive meeting from May 2-3 at JNJ Golf Resort in Jangheung-gun County, Jeollanam-do Province, decided to resume the project.

Both bodies will hold a screening next month to select countries for the project and the opening ceremony in December for the wells.

In December 2017, the two sides started the project with an ethnic Korean association in Tanzania and provided wells in February 2018 to two elementary schools in the African country.

 
The venture was also expanded to other countries on the continent such as Malawi and South Africa, and the two organizations by 2018 helped alleviate water shortages in 20 regions of eight countries. 

The COVID-19 pandemic caused the suspension of the venture.

"We agreed to strive to improve even just a little the quality of life of African residents by providing clean water, the source of life," the business association's director Kim Jum Bai said. "We will receive applications from ethnic Korean communities in disadvantaged areas and finalize the locations."

jihlee08@korea.kr