STORY: Chinese company lights up hope for Surinamese villages
SHOOTING TIME: March 31, 2024
DATELINE: April 11, 2024
LENGTH: 00:01:10
LOCATION: Paramaribo
CATEGORY: SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Botopasi village in Suriname
2. various of solar panels installed by the Power Construction Corporation of China in Botopasi village
3. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): POTTER, Botopasi villager
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): XIONG ZEKUN, Project Manager, Power China's American branch

STORYLINE:

Botopasi village in Suriname, deep in the Amazon rainforest, faced a population decline due to challenges like lack of electricity, prompting many residents to move to the capital.

A rural microgrid project by the Power Construction Corporation of China (Power China) is bringing change.

With authorization from the Surinamese government, Power China completed the first phase of the project in Goejaba village in 2020. 

Phase 2, currently under construction, aims to extend benefits to several villages, including Botopasi, delivering clean energy to over 3,000 residents.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): POTTER, Botopasi villager
"When we have energy, then you have development, you can put your drink in your freezer, you can eat better. Better life of the future."

This initiative aims to solve electricity shortages for villages along the Suriname and Marowjine rivers. 

These communities struggle with poor transportation infrastructure and lack access to the national electricity grid, leading to unreliable power supply.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): XIONG ZEKUN, Project Manager, Power China's American branch
"I still remember the night I switched on the electricity supply. I walked past a house and saw a child studying under a lamp. That moment made me feel like all our hard work on this project was totally worth it."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Paramaribo.
(XHTV)