STORY: A Shared Path | A satellite TV project that brings hope to rural children
DATELINE: Oct. 18, 2023
LENGTH: 00:04:56
LOCATION: Beijing
CATEGORY: ECONOMY

STORYLINE:

Kenya

In East Africa, Kenya is known as a land of wonder.
From its vast grasslands to epic landforms, people in this country have always believed in miracles.

The stars illuminate the path to success.
--Kenyan proverb

AIC Siyiapei Children's Home
Narok County, Kenya

This is a children's home in Narok County of Kenya.
The kids' joyful night of football suddenly took a turn for the worse.

--"Guys, what's wrong with the TV?"
--"No signal!"

No matter how hard they tried, no one was able to fix the problem.

SOUNDBITE (English): STANLEY KOISABA, Manager of AIC Siyiapei Children's Home
"Our TV is not working. We're calling to come and fix it for us, please."

The Siyiapei Children's Home was founded in 1979. It provides shelter to orphaned and abandoned children. Now, 45 children are living here.

While waiting for the repairman, the kids started playing football.

SOUNDBITE (English): MELVIN SADALA TOMPOI, Child living at AIC Siyiapei Children's Home
"I can't explain how I feel about playing football. I love football, and football is in my blood."

Sadala comes from a traditional Maasai family. His parents passed away when he was 5. His relatives are unable to raise him. So Sadala and his two brothers were sent to the orphanage.

When he arrived, Sadala was too shy to talk with the other kids. He often chose to stay alone.

One day, workers came to the children's home to install a TV, giving Sadala a pleasant surprise.

SOUNDBITE (English): MELVIN SADALA TOMPOI, Child living at AIC Siyiapei Children's Home
"It (TV) was brought on 6th January, 2018, and the children were very excited. And also I was very happy. Yeah, I was very happy."

Michael, the repairman, arrived.

He connected the wires that were blown down by a gust of wind and got the TV working again.

SOUNDBITE (English): STANLEY KOISABA, Manager of AIC Siyiapei Children's Home
"Children are also able to acquire some skills. Some are now good dancers. They speak good English. They use the channels to learn, and also watch a football (game)."

SOUNDBITE (English): BRENDA NAMAYALA, Child living at AIC Siyiapei Children's Home
"My favorite show is dance. And I like dancing this and this. For example, like this."

SOUNDBITE (English): GABRIEL KIVUVA, Child living at AIC Siyiapei Children's Home
"My favorite show is comedy. In my future, I'd like to be a comedian, to make people laughing."

SOUNDBITE (English): MELVIN SADALA TOMPOI, Child living at AIC Siyiapei Children's Home
"When I watch TV, it encourages me to have a very big dream, vision, becoming a nice footballer in the world. So it has nurtured me. The TV has changed my life."

Due to his excellent soccer skills, Sadala became the captain of the orphanage's football team. In a football match organized by the Kenyan Ministry of Education, Sadala represented his school.

For children here, the fluorescent screen is a window to the dreams and miracles of the outside world, inspiring them to seek their own.

SOUNDBITE (English): MELVIN SADALA TOMPOI, Child living at AIC Siyiapei Children's Home
"I'd like to become a nice footballer in the world."

SOUNDBITE (English): STANLEY KOISABA, Manager of AIC Siyiapei Children's Home
"Because children they have what is in them, these are the talents. The channels or the StarTimes thing has been able to expose these children to know what is happening even beyond our country."

The Siyiapei Children's Home's TV story is one of many about a China-launched project called "Access to Satellite TV for 10,000 African Villages."

The project is part of a cooperation plan between China and Africa under the Belt and Road Initiative.

Since 2017, China has been working with 23 African countries to carry forward the project, helping locals access the outside world, and opening up new horizons for rural communities.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Beijing.
(XHTV)