STORY: Chinese company begins construction of crucial Neno-Ligowe road in Malawi
SHOOTING TIME: Oct. 18, 2024
DATELINE: Oct. 21, 2024
LENGTH: 00:01:56
LOCATION: Lilongwe
CATEGORY: SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the commencement ceremony
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): BRIGHTONE MPHINGA, Neno District Council Official
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): DENG JING, CR20 manager for the road project
4. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chichewa): MLAULI, Neno District's highest traditional authority

STORYLINE:

China Railway 20th Bureau Group Corporation Limited (CR20), together with local officials, on Friday announced the commencement of the Neno-Ligowe road construction in Ligowe Village of Neno, one of Malawi's isolated districts.

Neno, a border district with Mozambique in southern Malawi, is known for its mountainous terrain and poor roads, which become impassable during the rainy season.
   
The Neno-Ligowe road, a 20 km stretch, connects Mwanza, a major border post, to Ntcheu, a commercial hub for farm produce in central Malawi.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): BRIGHTONE MPHINGA, Neno District Council Official
"Receiving a tarmac road to Neno is a great thing that the government has done. As you can see today, we received rain three days ago, and that the road is not in good shape, it is a lot. Businesses were being affected, health operations being affected, education and everything in terms of transportation is affected because of the lack of a good tarmac road. And the coming of this contractor to construct the 20-kilometer road is a huge relief. It means we are being recognized as people who are contributing to the development of the country and it is a huge relief."

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): DENG JING, CR20 manager for the road project
"We also need support from our consultant, the district commissioner's office, the police office, and also from communities. So, all of us we will work together more closely and we can finish the road in time."

SOUNDBITE 3 (Chichewa): MLAULI, Neno District's highest traditional authority
"Those doing business will greatly benefit from the road. They will be able to move from one point to another easily doing trade."

Since 2018, CR20 has implemented several projects in Malawi, contributing to local capacity building through employment for over 5,000 Malawians, as well as training and mentorship programs.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Lilongwe.
(XHTV)