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The 1st water cellar, as part of the XCMG’s in the cape of Africa Initiative, was successfully constructed and officially completed on November 5 at the ODA NEBE elementary school in Oromiya region in Ethiopia by XCMG, China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation (CFPA) in collaboration with SMIS, an Ethiopian company specialized in small-scale water conservancy irrigation. A total of over 100 people attended the completion ceremony including representatives from XCMG, CFPA, Ethiopian local dignitaries, villagers and school teachers and students. Reporters from high-end media agencies such as the Xinhua news agency, China Central Television (CCTV) and Ethiopia TV station witnessed the moment of far-reaching significance.

￥750，000 yuan has been Donated for Helping Ethiopia to build 50 small-scae water conservancy facilities

As the impacts of El Nino Phenomenon are worsening in recent years, African countries, especially those located in the cape of Africa region, have suffered a rare drought, and the drought in Ethiopia is particularly worrisome. The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told reporters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital in early January, "The Ethiopian people are suffering the worst drought in 30 years... The gravity of the situation has far exceeded what a government can handle." Upon learning about the severe drought in Ethiopia, XCMG Chairman Wang Min reached a speedy decision: donating RMB ￥1.85 million yuan to the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation to set up a special fund named Blue Dream and dedicating RMB￥750,000 yuan of which to building small water conservancy facilities for collecting rain water in the cape of Africa to combat the drought in Ethiopia; Further, collaborative efforts have been made to work with local international NGOs including the First Lady Office to construct 50 water cellars for the communities and schools in the drought-stricken region in Ethiopia and provide solutions to the issue of drinking water safety for more than 4,000 villagers and students, striving to strengthen their ability of fighting against natural disasters.

Build water cellars by conduct field trips and working out appropriate measures to suit local conditions.

The 1st water cellar was built in the Oda Nebe Woliso village primary school located in Oda Nebe area in Oromiya region, Ethiopia. The school is located in a plateau area of 2,800 meters above sea level, known for its remoteness and rugged mountain paths. The villagers make a living by growing Injera, which is considered their only economic source. As shortage of water source is significant, each household have to purchase water with a small income from the water-selling sites located 4 kilometers away, eighty percent of which is used to water the crops. As a result, many families have no choice but to force their children to forgo school and beg in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia. Now, the construction of the 1st water cellar will help to solve the drinking water problems for the children around the village school, and allow some children to continue their studies while leaving the life of begging behind.

In view of the local demands for water and the precipitation situation, XCMG in collaboration with CFPA, donated and built the first water cellar by designing a roof-top rainwater collection system as an example, adopting measures suitable to local conditions. Composed of four parts, namely, roof-top rainwater collection, rainwater transportation, a 50-cubic-meter circular cistern and a pumping system, the system has successfully increased the rainwater collection area by 168 square meters and stored 100 cubic meters of water during the two rainy seasons each year. The successful construction of 1st water cellar has set up a great example for water conservancy organizations in Ethiopia. Moreover, water conservancy experts will also teach the local villagers the technology, so as to solve the water-shortage problems for production and daily life for more villagers.

XCMG’s global public welfare efforts serve as a benchmark for SOEs 

At the completion ceremony, Mr Gilma, assistant to governor of Oromiya in Ethiopia, congratulated on the success of the 1st water cellar and extended his gratitude to the Chinese companies for their help and support provided to Ethiopia in various forms. As Mr Gilma pointed out, remarkable progress has been made in the areas of infrastructure, education and culture since the inception of cooperation between China and Ethiopia. Moreover, what touches him the most is that he sees the name of XCMG in each of those areas and he expressed his sincere appreciation for XCMG’s support. Mr. Xiao Xiao, XCMG General Manager of East Africa Region, presented an overview of the XCMG water cellar project in Ethiopia and its business development in Africa. 

A speech made by Gilma, assistant manager of Oromia Region Governor

During the ceremony, the local government of Ethiopia again expressed gratitude to the XCMG and China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation (CFPA), and they said the water cellar will ease local drought which provides great help for local people, especially for students. Xiao Xiao, the XCMG’s general manager of the East African region, Song Lei, the representative of CFPA, and Gilma, assistant manager of Oromia Region Governor, and the principal of the school together cut the ribbon at an opening ceremony and signed the agreement on transfer of the first water cellar. The First Sweet Water Activity was held at the scene. In this activity the first sweet water from the cellar was sent to the local children, and then the XCMG’s volunteers donated T-shirts, cups, books and other stationery to them.

　Cutting-ribbon at an opening ceremony carried out by Xiao Xiao, the XCMG’s general manager of the East African region, Song Lei, the representative of CFPA, and Gilma, assistant manager of Oromia Region Governor, and the principal of the school together

The agreement on transfer by four parties

　T-shirts, cups, books and other stationery donated by the XCMG’s volunteers

The most beautiful smile shown by the children after they drank the first sweet water

After the ceremony, Mr. Xiao Xiao, at an interview with CCTV, said that XCMG visited the Chinese embassy in Ethiopia, Ministry of Water Resources in Ethiopia, China-Africa Friendship Primary School and other institutions in order to ensure the smooth implementation of the project, that it has been identified that 50 water cellars have been built by XCMG in Ethiopia to provide convenience, and safety issues on drinking water of more than 4,000 villagers and students will be completely resolved. Heard that this year Ethiopia suffered a drought which happened once in a 30-year, XCMG will work together with CFRA to complete the construction of the follow-up cellars as soon as possible, in order to prevent the maximum number of Ethiopian people from the threat of drought.

A speech made by Xiao Xiao, the XCMG’s general manager of the East African region

After the coorperation between CFPA and XCMG in China for many years, it is the first time to carry out the International Public Warefare Poverty Alleviation Project. The successful completion of Ethiopia's first water cellar will surely add a touch of color to the pattern of "folk-to-folk" communication between China and foreign countries, and XCMG’s Public Welfare is committed to creating a better society.

The completion of the first XCMG Africa-Ethiopia water cellar