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By CRSG Communication Team
China Railway Seventh Group (CRSG) started to serve Sierra Leone in construction area from 2007. The last sixteen years have witnessed CRSG’s commitment to build high-quality project one after another. The company adheres to the principle that company benefits with social benefits and values the significance of taking social responsibilities actively, especially in the event of pandemic and disasters, during which period CRSG fully expressed the sense of obligation of an international enterprise.
During the Ebola pandemic in 2014, CRSG actively assisted in the transportation of anti-epidemic materials and medical materials donated by the Chinese government. On 14th August 2017, heavy rainfall caused severe floods and mudslides by the outskirts of Freetown. Lots of houses were torn down and many lives were buried and killed. Upon receiving the request for help from Sierra Leone Government, CRSG immediately dispatched a secure team to join the searching and securing regardless of potential secondary mudslides and accidence. Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020, CRSG has actively carried out epidemic prevention work to protect the lives and health of all employees. Meanwhile, it has actively donated anti-epidemic materials, and gradually lowered the charge of Wellington-Masiaka Highway, so as to overcome the bad times together with the people of Sierra Leone. On 17th September, 2020, the Savage Bridge in Freetown suddenly collapsed, disrupting the traffic of central commercial area. CRSG undertook its construction at that critical moment. Ignoring the difficulties of COVID-19 and rainy season, CRSG finished the work with higher standard shortly in three months and handed over to Sierra Leone Government timely, providing convenience to the local people and improving the capital’s transportation capacity in central area. This achievement was highly praised by the GoSL. At the completion and opening ceremony, the Minister of Works and Public Assets praised CRSG as a trustworthy contractor for its ability to fulfill the promise of work even with the burden of emergency and objective difficulties.
During its more-than-ten-years-of investment, CRSG has not only provided thousands of works and job opportunities to Sierra Leoneans, but also actively cultivated the technical and managing abilities of its employees. Besides, it has selected many senior employees into management to perform as key workforce. In 2018 and 2019, with the adequate support from Chinese Embassy, CRSG sent more than 50 local employees from senior management to China to attend the “Training Courses on Express Way Construction and Operation Management for Sierra Leone” and “Training Course for Enterprise Managing and Development Purpose”. During the training in China, the students participated in the theoretical and practical courses from the excellent faculty of well-known university in China, and participated various lectures, visited and experienced multiple events. The students also experienced diverse on-site visits to similar projects in many cities of China, systematically improving their management skills, technical and practical ability. After the training, the employees who returned to Sierra Leone earnestly shared their experiences and learning from China to help other employees enhance knowledge and improvement. Most of them have now become management and made themselves paid well.
On 5th January, 2023, a grand completion and handover ceremony was held for the Sierra Leone Diplomatic Training Academy Project constructed by CRSG. The President of Sierra Leone, First Lady, Minister of Foreign Affairs and many other senior government officials, Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Economic and Commercial Counselor and envoys of many countries to Sierra Leone attended the ceremony. After two years of tense and rigorous work, the builders of CRSG have overcome many challenges including the Covid-19 epidemic, inflation, shipping delays, flight fusion, etc., and successfully delivered the first Professional Training Academy with high quality, high standard, and advanced facilitation in West Africa. After acceptance by the experts, the project fully meets all the designed functionary requirements. Sierra Leone Foreign Minister Francis highly recognized the project as a magnificent institute, which will thoroughly organize, systematically provide high-quality courses and activities, and fully adopt international practical teaching. Wang Qing, the Chinese ambassador to Sierra Leone, said: “This Institute will become the ‘cradle of diplomats’ in Sierra Leone, and Sino-Sierra relations will also take this opportunity to match to a brighter future.” Sierra Leone President Bio said: “This Institute is a strong proof of the mutual cooperation and common vision between China and Sierra Leone. It is part of the major achievements of Sierra Leone’s educational and human development. It will help enhance and improve Sierra Leone’s good image around the world and will cultivate more competitive professional diplomatic talents.” While cultivating more outstanding talents for the diplomatic cause of Sierra Leone and West Africa, this institute will also become a landmark building to promote the development of Sino-Serra friendship.
More than that, CRSG also positively carries out public welfare activities in various forms to express its value of social responsibility, including donating scholarship to schools and students, helping communities improve infrastructures, distributing goods and materials to local residence, etc., which have been widely acknowledged and honored by the Government, ministries, communities and the public. CRSG will actively respond to the “Belt and Road Initiative”, and continue to promote the friendship between China and Sierra Leone with high-quality projects and services, good corporate reputation and image, diverse and timely support to fulfill responsibilities.
