Half of all mankind live in the villages of Asia: the living standard is low, but the village is the unit of organisation on which Asia rests, and upon which the foundation of progress must be built.

Throughout Asia plans for community development are being made and this film shows three areas in various stages. In Cambodia we see a simple example of self-help involving the problem of safe water. Secondly, the film shows how villages must sometimes combine their efforts to achieve a project, in this case a health clinic in Afghanistan. The third chapter takes us to India where community development involves mechanization in the village.