At 5 a.m., Robert was already driving his pick-up truck to the Magufuli Bridge construction site in Tanzania, delivering Chinese-style breakfast. The bridge, undertaken by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), is the longest extradosed cable-stayed bridge in Africa.
The grand Magufuli Bridge spans over Lake Victoria. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
Five years ago, when the project broke ground, Robert was not a driver but a ship captain. He sailed on a carrier loaded with materials to the construction site, and he was deeply moved by the dedication and professionalism of CCECC. After the ship captain job, he volunteered for a new role and became a truck driver, as he was attuned to the local terrain and transportation.
Now the “mobile supply station” in his charge brings timely breakfast to bridge builders. “A Chinese company grants me this great job. It’s a beacon of hope for my future,” said Robert, his eyes glistening with bright expectations for the promising days ahead.
His stable income has made a lakeside house affordable. Last year, he also became a father with the birth of a new family member.
Magufuli Bridge gave rise to many such fortune-changing stories, and 20-year-old Joshua is a prime example. He was doing odd jobs for a living, and things changed after he submitted an application for a bridge-related job. He started with moving construction materials and site cleaning. An occasional opportunity, however, brought him to assist the security team with daily inspections. On-site practices, along with his efforts in studying security-related Chinese, like “anquanmao” (helmet) late into the night, qualified him as the project’s youngest safety supervisor.
Nowadays, Joshua patrols the construction site on a motorcycle, vigilantly identifying and addressing potential hazards. The once-confused youth has since become a source of family pride.
Jobs are not the only benefit brought by the Magufuli Bridge. People also get chances to sharpen their skills. Sadie was a novice electrician who could only handle simple tasks like repairing lightbulbs, struggling with complicated electrical knowledge. Under the patient guidance of Chinese engineers, he gradually mastered bedrock theories and various working skills, like troubleshooting circuit faults. Now he has become a skilled employee capable of debugging the distribution boxes.
Michael was skilled in operating gantry cranes and experienced in warehouse management. By adopting his Chinese counterparts’ working philosophy of “plan before starting and review after finishing,” his efficiency skyrocketed, earning him the “best employee” award for two consecutive years.
The project has cultivated more than 600 technicians, many of whom have since shared their knowledge with their peers in other projects or set out on their own businesses, such as repair shops.
The Magufuli Bridge has profoundly transformed the daily lives of neighboring residents. Moussa, a fisherman from Mwanza City, used to spend two hours delivering his catch to the factory on the opposite bank. During the hot journey, nearly half of the fish would often spoil. Now, thanks to the bridge, the same trip takes nearly five minutes by car, avoiding the spoilage and raising his income. “In the past, selling fish was like a gamble. Now I can earn an extra 5,000 Tanzanian Shillings ($2.15) each day, which is enough to buy textbooks for my kids,” Moussa said cheerfully.
During construction, Chinese and Tanzanian workers formed strong bonds of friendship. Rose learned to make pancakes with sesame paste from a Chinese chef. At first, her pancakes turned out uneven instead of round, but with the chef’s patient guidance and repeated practice, her pancakes became a breakfast blockbuster.
During Spring Festival, Chinese employees invited their Tanzanian colleagues to enjoy jiaozi (Chinese dumplings), sharing the warmth and joy of the traditional festival. In return, Tanzanian workers performed traditional dances with them, creating a sea of laughter on the site.
Magufuli Bridge is now in operation. Whenever driving across it, Robert cannot help but slow down and gaze into the distance. On the opposite end, school children no longer risk being late due to unreliable ferry-boats. Ambulances can cross the lake in five minutes, saving precious time for emergency care. Trucks loaded with coffee or minerals travel smoothly along the newly built roads toward the port, heralding a prosperous trade journey. The bridge demonstrates that the best cooperation is to make both sides stronger and the deepest friendship means embracing each other’s hopes as one’s own responsibility.
The bridge connects not only the two banks, but also the hearts of the Chinese and Tanzanian peoples. This is the most valuable and enduring treasure for Chinese enterprises that strive for global recognition.
(Executive editor: Yuan Ting)
