CRBC: Africa Constructor
There are many cities and villages along the Bata-Niefang Road, and CRBC also digs wells for communities lacking access to water. For example, women in Midjimiton Village formerly had to walk two kilometers to fetch water from a river. When it ran dry they had to walk even farther. Since CRBC dug the village’s first well, local people have had ready access to potable water. Children regard the well as a treasure. “Our country is in the process of construction. CRBC not only built the high-grade road that runs through our village, but also paved access roads and dug a well, so bringing us tangible benefits. For us, CRBC workers are like relatives and brothers,” Midjimiton Village head Candido Ekong said.
CRBC has also built schools and churches along the road, and a clinic that is under construction will improve local health standards.
Besides projects and public facilities, CRBC, as a local corporate citizen, is also involved in direct investment. “By purchasing land for long-term business dealings, CRBC has become a mentor of local construction and so served local residents,” Wen Gang said. CRBC has invested in many local projects, including a cement plant, real estate, an industrial park, a new town, and a harbor. These projects are not merely to gain economic benefits, but also to generate social benefits by helping local people gain confidence in China’s projects and the integrity of Chinese people, Wen said.
Most important, CRBC has always performed its duty as a constructor by maximally protecting local natural environment through ideal design. “Understanding of and capacity for environmental protection are important indicators of an enterprise’s strength,” Wen Gang said. “We are constructors, not destroyers. We strive to minimize environmental disruption.” As the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway will run through several national parks, CRBC has built special wildlife passages, some of which allow giraffes to pass through. This means elevated railroad beds, and hence higher construction costs due to fetching earth from outside these parks. CRBC has also built slopes to protect water sources.
Nowadays, more than 60 percent of CRBC’s business is in Africa. The company strives to make contributions to Africa out of a sense of responsibility.
