"This solar well has stable water volume and saves manpower. It has solved the serious water problem in the school and improved the sanitation conditions. We are very grateful." Principal of Ruwenkawawi Primary and Secondary School in Gakaka Village, Kayonza District, Oriental Province, Rwanda Bimana told reporters looking at several students who were carrying water buckets.

Recently, the reporter drove to this remote village that is often arid. Going around the hills, a solar panel surrounded by a blue fence comes into view. This is a solar well in the 200-well project China aided in Rwanda. "Before there were no solar wells, we would have to hire people to travel long distances to get clean water, and the sanitation in schools was worrying and the financial burden was heavy," Habimana said.

Lack of clean water increases the risk of acute diarrhoea and infectious diseases such as cholera. According to the World Health Organization, infectious diarrhoea is the second leading cause of death among children under the age of 5, mostly due to ingestion of unsanitary food and water. Habimana had previously struggled with the difficulty of providing healthy lunches for students.

Chen Jinke, the project manager of the 200 Chinese-aided Rwanda wells undertaken by China Geo-Engineering Group Co., Ltd. (Central and Eastern Africa Branch) told reporters that all hand-killing wells and solar-powered wells have been installed with chlorination systems to keep the water clean. Ready to drink.

He said that solar wells are chosen to be built in densely populated places, such as markets, schools. "Rwanda has high light intensity, which can meet the conditions for using solar wells. Compared with hand-killed wells, solar wells can provide stable and sufficient drinking water for a large number of villagers in surrounding villages." Habimana said, in addition to the villagers' domestic water , this project can also help farmers irrigate. "With these wells we can also irrigate crops and carry out agricultural activities all year round."

The reporter saw in Murumbi Village, Gazibo District, Oriental Province, that some villagers were lining up beside a Chinese well, chatting and laughing, waiting to draw water. "The new well has benefited many people. About 300 people from our village come here to fetch water. Now there is no need to worry about water," said Clarice, a villager who was queuing.

The rural well drilling project is not easy. The drilling team not only has to solve the problem of large-scale machinery transportation, but also often faces complex geological drilling conditions, as well as dealing with diseases such as the new crown epidemic and malaria. At the end of April, the aid project for 200 wells dedicated to solving the problem of water shortage in Rwanda passed the inspection and acceptance, and all of them have been delivered to the local people for use, which has solved the drinking water problem of at least 110,000 people. Keywords: One Belt One Road, One Belt One Road News, One Belt One Road Project

The new well will have a positive impact on the health and well-being of many people, said Jean Damasena, Cayonza's deputy mayor for social affairs. "We are all happy with this water conservancy project. The cooperation between Rwanda and China will bring more benefits to the Rwandan people."Editor/XuNing