Assisting in Improving People's Livelihoods in Ethiopia (China Africa Cooperation in the New Era)
2024-08-20
This year marks the 5th anniversary of the establishment of the Ethiopia office of the China Rural Development Foundation. Over the past five years, the foundation has carried out projects such as Love Package, Water and Health Development, Solar Lamp Education, and Women's Employment Skills Training in Ethiopia, focusing on the goals of eradicating poverty, hunger, quality education, and clean water in the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. As of December 2023, approximately 320000 people have benefited cumulatively. The Minister of Women and Social Affairs of Ethiopia, Elgorgi Tesfaye, stated that the Chinese government, enterprises, and various institutions have been actively assisting Ethiopia's economic development and promoting the improvement of local livelihoods for a long time. After the water cellar is built, we no longer have to go to the river to fetch water. "August is the rainy season in Ethiopia, and Debelle, who lives in the village of Obey near Dukem City in Oromia Prefecture, has to worry about the domestic water supply for a family of seven. Although our home was equipped with a water pipe a year ago, the water supply has been unstable and only comes in once every 20 days. The water storage tank at home is almost at its bottom, so we can only go to a faraway river to fetch water. It takes two hours to travel back and forth, "Debelle and a few children walked along the muddy dirt road towards the river with a yellow bucket on their heads. The days when the Debelle family goes out to fetch water will soon change. In her yard, a water cellar has taken shape. After the water cellar is built, we no longer have to go to the river to fetch water, and we can also grow vegetables in the yard. "Debelle was full of expectations. To help solve the local water problem, the China Rural Development Foundation and XCMG Group jointly launched the "Horn of Africa Drought Zone Water Cellar Project" in 2015, introducing Chinese water cellar technology. At present, the project has been implemented in four phases, and 161 household water cellars have been built in Oromia Oblast, Amhara Oblast, Southern Oblast and other places, benefiting more than 12000 people. Abeba Yehu was one of the first beneficiaries of the project, and his water cellar with the serial number "23" was completed in July 2017. Before, when there was no water cellar, he and his wife had to wake up before dawn every day during the dry season, go 15 kilometers away to fetch water, make a round trip, and spend most of the day there. There is no more time to farm and no extra water to irrigate the fields, resulting in low crop yields. Now that we have a water cellar, we can free up manpower at home and do more farm work, "said Abeba Ye. In April of this year, the fifth phase of the "Water Cellar Project in the Horn of Africa Drought Affected Region" was launched, with plans to build 40 water cellars for 38 drought prone farmers and one public elementary school in Oromia state. In addition, XCMG Group plans to donate 40 sets of water purification systems to 40 public primary schools in Ethiopia to help more students access clean water. With the assistance of the Chinese side, the water supply for teachers and students has been guaranteed, "said Chimmedsa, the principal of Oubei Elementary School." With the encouragement of my Chinese friends, I have more motivation to study. "" This backpack is my most precious gift, "Dalelo told reporters, holding the pink backpack. Dalilo is a sixth grade student at Dudubisa Elementary School in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. The little girl takes good care of her backpack. Although she has been using it for two years, it still looks like new. The backpack is printed with the words' Love Package 'in Amharic language. Two years ago, Dalelo didn't have a backpack and could only carry books to school every day. When Dalaluo received the love package donated by the China Rural Development Foundation, he was extremely happy. The backpack is very beautiful, with items such as a sketchbook, raincoat, towel, and blanket inside, "Dalello told reporters." With the encouragement of my Chinese friends, I am more motivated to study. I will continue to work hard and hope to become a doctor and help more people when I grow up. "Hannah and Fatuna, fourth grade students from Dubois Elementary School, are also beneficiaries of the Love Package. They showed the items inside the Love Package to the reporter. Hannah's favorite items are colored pens and sketchbooks, while Fatuna's favorite is a hygiene kit. According to the Ethiopia office of the China Rural Development Foundation, the International Love Parcel Project was launched in 2019. As of the end of 2023, it has delivered gifts to over 1.35 million primary school students in 15 countries including Ethiopia, Namibia, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. 183000 love packages have been distributed in Addis Ababa, Oromia, Amhara, Afar and other areas of Ethiopia. Sent light to children in impoverished areas and illuminated their future, "said 11 year old Ginus, a fourth grade student at Vilajalsa Elementary School in Garland, Oromia. Because there was no electricity at home, she had to try to finish her homework in the classroom before going home after school. Reading and studying at home, ordering kerosene lamps, dim lighting, and consuming a lot of oil, "said Ginus helplessly. To solve the problem of lighting for local students' learning, the China Rural Development Foundation launched the Solar Lamp Education Assistance Project in 2020. With the support of Chinese enterprises, the foundation distributed 9000 solar lights to 20 public primary schools in Afar, Somalia, Oromia, and Benshangul Gumaz regions. A new round of donation work is underway this year. One day, Chinese uncles and aunts came to the school and brought us solar lights with cute giant pandas painted on the packaging. These lights can be fully charged by sunbathing during the day and can be used at night, much brighter than kerosene lamps Ginus told reporters. The reporter saw that this solar light is compact and easy to operate, with two settings: normal brightness and high brightness. After being fully charged, it can provide up to 8 hours of illumination. Local media reported that "China's solar light education program has brought light to children in impoverished areas and illuminated their future." Elgorgi Tesfaye highly appreciates the work of the China Rural Development Foundation. She stated that a series of projects carried out by the foundation have greatly promoted the improvement of local livelihoods, and hopes to further promote these projects in the future to benefit more rural residents. Dilbo, former Director General of the Ethiopian Civil Society Organization Management Bureau, stated that the projects of the China Rural Development Foundation are consistent with the priorities of the Ethiopian government and the needs of the people, and their significance and impact are far-reaching. We hope that more Chinese friends can share their rich experience in eliminating poverty and achieving modern development, and help Ethiopia achieve greater development, "said Yin Qian, Director of the Ethiopia Office of the China Rural Development Foundation." In the future, the China Rural Development Foundation will continue to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with partners from all sides, and make positive contributions to promoting people to people exchanges between the two countries
Edit：Yi Jing Responsible editor：Li Nian
Source：people.com.cn
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