We no longer have to worry about water and electricity, and thank our Chinese friends for helping us build power stations, install electric lights, and drill Wells. Seeing the newly built street lights and water tower in the village, Mariconubla village chief Jean Doumbbia could not conceal his excitement and joy.

Recently, the China-assisted Mali Solar Energy Demonstration Village Project undertaken by China Geological Engineering Group Co., Ltd. passed the completion and acceptance in the villages of Nubula and Karang in Marico. The project installed a total of 1,195 sets of off-grid solar household systems, 200 sets of solar street lighting systems, 17 sets of solar water pump systems and 2 sets of centralized solar power supply systems, directly benefiting tens of thousands of local people.

As one of the least developed countries in the world, the West African country of Mali is short of power resources, and the rural electricity rate is less than 20%. Located southeast of Bamako, the capital of Mali, Konubra village has poor infrastructure and almost no electricity supply, and the villagers rely on the few hand-pressed Wells for water and have to queue for a long time every day.

In the past, our village had never had electricity, and there was often a shortage of water in the dry season. Life was very inconvenient for everyone, and we had been longing for a modern life as soon as possible. "Said Jean Dounbia, a resident of Konubra village.

Pan Zhaoli, a project employee, said: "When we first arrived, most of the villagers were still living a traditional life of slash-and-burn farming, and the village was dark and quiet at night.

In April 2023, the solar energy demonstration village project was completed in two villages, and the project passed completion acceptance in early May, bringing light and hope to local villagers.

After the project was completed, the village in darkness at night had street lights, and villagers began to use solar automatic pumping water towers for free. Without China's generous assistance, we cannot imagine when we will be able to equip our homes with such advanced new energy equipment. Villager Diop said that the water supply and power supply systems are now running automatically, and they can use free and convenient water and electricity at any time.

Yamdu Keita, the elderly village chief of Kallang Village, said passionately at the villagers' forum: Each of us should cherish the true gift from China, and every household should carefully use and maintain photovoltaic equipment, so that the Malaysia-China friendship can flourish here.

According to reports, the project is another pragmatic measure by China to help promote clean energy in the field of people's livelihood and share green development experience. Zhao Yongqing, project manager of the Solar Demonstration Village, has been working in Africa for more than 10 years. He said: Small and beautiful, benefit the people, quick effect of the solar photovoltaic demonstration project, not only meets the actual needs of Mali to improve the construction of rural supporting facilities, but also conforms to the local people's long-term yearning for a happy life.

Suleyman Belte, director of Mali's Renewable Energy Agency, said that advanced photovoltaic technology is crucial to Mali's response to climate change and improvement of rural livelihoods. The China-assisted Solar Energy Demonstration Village project in Mali is a very meaningful practice of applying photovoltaic technology to improve people's livelihood in remote and backward areas.Editor/Ma Xue