The capital of Togo, Lome Beltway, Senegal Tess Tuba Expressway, and the capital of Senegal, Dakar bus rapid transit. These infrastructure projects of the the Belt and Road Initiative have promoted the construction of local cities and the development of people's livelihood. The Togolese youth Leon Cosiwi (Suxin in Chinese) who participated in these projects not only realized their self-worth, but also gained a happy family.

Su Xin, 36 years old in 2023, has worked in China Road and Bridge Corporation for 13 years. At present, he is involved in the construction of the Dakar bus rapid transit project and serves as the assistant project manager. As the first urban rapid transit line in the country, this approximately 18 kilometer long road will pass through Dakar's most densely populated community and core business district, and once completed, will help alleviate traffic pressure in the capital.

Every morning, Su Xin arrives at the project site in his white pickup truck and shuttles through various road sections all day. Whether it's technical issues or communication difficulties, as long as his colleagues make a phone call, he will rush to the scene to help "put out the fire".

In 2011, Su Xin just graduated from university and worked as a translator for the Lome Ring Road project undertaken by China Road and Bridge Corporation. In 2016, Su Xin was dispatched to the construction project of the 113-kilometer Jiesi Tuba Expressway, and participated in various engineering processes such as earthwork, oil surface construction, and drainage. This highway connecting the country's second largest city, Jes, and the religious holy city of Tuba was completed and opened at the end of 2018, reducing the travel time between the two places by at least half compared to before.

Tuba City is a famous Muslim pilgrimage center and tourist destination in West Africa, where millions of people flock during the Magal Festival every year. This expressway not only facilitates local people's travel and improves the city's appearance, but also promotes regional economic development. You can ask any Senegalese person, they will praise this highway endlessly, "said Su Xin.

Diane, the director of the Jes Tuba Expressway at the Senegal Road Engineering and Management Bureau, said that due to the shortened travel time between the two places, even when transporting fresh food in hot weather, there is no need to worry about it rotting and spoiling. Diane said that the highway project has brought many job opportunities and training opportunities to the local area, and the social benefits of the project outweigh the investment.

During the construction of the expressway, Suxin met Mo'Nique, a girl from Jeez. The following year, the two married and chose to settle down in Jiesi. Mo'Nique also became a toll collector. Now that we have two children, we plan to settle here in the future and bring Togo's parents to live with us in a few years. "Su Xin is full of expectations for the future.

Whenever Su Xin returns home from vacation, he drives on the highway he participated in building. The familiar scenery outside the window always reminds him and his colleagues of building roads and bridges here with enthusiasm. If Mo'Nique happens to be on duty, Su Xin will talk with his wife when passing the toll booth, and then drive into the nearby work area to wait for her to come home after work. Keywords: the Belt and Road, the Belt and Road Project, the Belt and Road.Editor/XuNing