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Swidler (2007) also found that governments and NGOs were more effective when they
mobilized solidarity and the social meaning structure within local communities. Field studies
in Uganda and Botswana came to the conclusion that local governments and organizations
have more access to the poor than international voluntary organizations. This means that
poverty alleviation can be better achieved when the focus of assistance is on empowering the
poor so that they can figure out their own ways to escape from poverty.
One example of relief efforts that started on the basis of cultural diversity is the Seed
Project of Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). It aims to remodel
towns in developing countries for the purpose of increasing their quality of life. Local
residents are consulted in the creative process and local conditions are taken into
consideration. In 2011, there were many slate houses built by international nonprofit
organizations in the Masai towns of Kenya. The Seed Project started when KAIST realized
that the Masai people slept on houses made from dung while these houses were abandoned.
Such attempts intended to aid poor countries, i.e. through music, dance, and good houses, are
the results of a westernized way of thinking. Indigenous people, unfamiliar with the western
culture, found them inconvenient and rejected them because they did not give them cognitive
peace. Therefore, solutions are needed that take into account the understanding of the
environment, culture, customs, and the educational levels of regions concerned.
3) Examples of Cultural Strategies for Overcoming Poverty
The tradition and indigenous culture held by communities play an important role in
regional development as they are the only resources they have. Tradition is passed down from
generation to generation among community members, shaping livelihood portfolios of
regions in the form of tangible artworks or intangible performances. This in turn increases the
opportunities for members to pursue self-development and sustainable livelihoods. The
importance of crafts in livelihoods can be verified in a number of actual cases. For instance,
the production of crafts in Colombia amounts to $400 million each year, including $40
million in exports. Workers in this industry earn annual incomes ranging from $140 to $510.
300,000 Tunisian workers produce 3.8% of the annual GDP with each household earning
$2,400 a year. As seen in these cases, crafts are gaining attention as a major means of
generating income through trade and enhancing capabilities (UNESCO, 2010).
Kandi in Sri Lanka is another good example of establishing a sustainable livelihood model
through crafts. Since the late 18th century, Kandi has served a central role in culture with