On April 21, the post-disaster well-drilling project in Zimbabwe, undertaken by CGC, a subsidiary of CECEP, was awarded an Excellent rating for project management and a High Quality rating for engineering quality by the Ministry of Commerce. The project was successfully completed 108 days ahead of schedule. With efficient progress and solid quality, it has delivered clean water to disaster-affected communities in Zimbabwe, writing a new chapter in China–Zimbabwe friendly cooperation.
Adhering to the principles that “there are no small matters in foreign aid, quality is life, and safety is the bottom line”, the project team overcame challenges including complex climate conditions, harsh construction environments and material allocation difficulties. By adopting a three-tier management model of overall coordination at headquarters, process control on-site and dedicated responsibility at the team level, the team scientifically organized construction and strengthened full-process quality control, ultimately achieving both a significantly shortened timeline and high-quality results. The team also innovatively implemented a model of “batch commissioning and centralized delivery” for wells, reducing waiting times and enabling local residents to access clean and safe drinking water at the earliest opportunity, effectively alleviating water shortages and earning widespread praise from the local government and communities.
A total of 306 hand-pump wells were constructed under the project, covering 300 villages across 21 districts in four provinces, including Manicaland, Masvingo, Mashonaland East and the Central region. The project has effectively addressed long-standing water access difficulties for 75,000 people, shortening the distance and time needed to fetch water. In some villages, it has also supported the development of collective vegetable farming and livestock breeding, further stimulating local economic vitality. The deep wells, treated through disinfection and sterilization, provide stable and reliable water quality and supply, helping reduce bacterial infections and the spread of infectious diseases. The project has become a vital livelihood initiative for combating drought, safeguarding health and promoting development, setting a high-quality benchmark for China–Zimbabwe cooperation in improving people’s well-being.
The Ministry of Local Government and Public Works of Zimbabwe expressed its gratitude for the outstanding contributions made by CGC in improving local drinking water conditions, enhancing agricultural productivity, promoting livestock development, and strengthening public health through high-standard project implementation. They praised the 300 wells as wells of happiness, describing them as a symbol of enduring friendship and strategic cooperation between Zimbabwe and China.
CGC will continue to consolidate its experience in managing foreign aid projects and leverage its overseas organizational strengths to deliver more high-quality aid projects, contributing the strength of a central state-owned enterprise to China’s ongoing foreign assistance efforts.
