LOME, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Driving north from Lome into Togo's Plateaux Region, lush hills and forests stretch across the landscape. But behind the scenery, many rural communities have long struggled with severe water shortages, forcing villagers to walk long distances each day for unsafe, muddy water. Today, a China-aided rural water project is bringing clean groundwater to some of the region's most remote villages.
In Bato Losso, a village in the Haho Prefecture of the Plateaux Region, villagers used to trek several kilometers daily under the scorching sun just to fetch a bucket of muddy water from distant river ditches.
"Every time we returned from fetching water, we were exhausted," recalled Bandawa Nayagla, president of the village development committee. "The water was often contaminated with bacteria, making it easy for people to fall ill."
This grim reality is now undergoing a profound transformation. Since its official launch in November 2024, the China-aided rural water project in Togo, contracted by Jiangxi Zhongmei Engineering Construction Company, has brought streams of clear groundwater to villages across the central Plateaux Region.
According to project manager Huang Xianzhou, the project was initially designed to drill 300 rural water supply wells in the region. During implementation, however, the Chinese team optimized construction schedules and improved efficiency to extend coverage to as many remote villages as possible.
"To date, they have successfully drilled 305 wells, exceeding the original target," he said. As of the end of April, the project had completed the construction of 285 well platforms and the installation of 260 hand pumps. The entire project is expected to be completed by the end of June.
In Afidegnigban, a village about 40 km southeast of Atakpame, the capital of the Plateaux Region, villager Tchador Plafala Kokouvi could hardly contain his excitement. "We used to walk kilometers for muddy water, and the children were constantly sick. Now, clean well water is right here in our village!" he said.
N'Tchou Kowovi, president of the village development committee of Afidegnigban, said the entire community celebrated when fresh water first gushed from the newly drilled well. "The village chief called me immediately to tell me that this was our most memorable day," he said.
Drilling wells in the Plateaux Region is no easy task. Yan Jianwen, the project's production manager, said the construction sites are spread across more than 300 villages in 12 prefectures, many connected only by narrow, unpaved roads inaccessible to large vehicles.
"As a result, construction materials such as stones, sand, and cement had to be transported in batches using smaller vehicles," he said. "In addition, the long rainy season and the threat of infectious diseases such as malaria posed major challenges to the construction team."
The greatest challenge, however, lies underground.
Huang said that the Plateaux Region has poor hydrogeological conditions, with low densities of fractures and faults and deeply buried aquifers. Even with advanced geophysical prospecting technology, the team still encountered dry wells in some locations.
Maganawe Djadja, governor of the Plateaux Region, said the difficulty of drilling in certain areas makes the completed wells even more valuable. "The professionalism and 'China speed' demonstrated by the Chinese team are truly admirable," he said.
Kogo Koffi Itche, regional director of hydraulics for the Plateaux Region, said the Chinese side maintained strict quality standards throughout every stage of construction, from geological surveys to the 72-hour drawdown tests.
"The water quality test results are particularly reassuring," he said. "All indicators are excellent, with no heavy metals exceeding safety standards. Villagers can drink the water safely."
Itche estimated that before the project, each household spent about 50,000 CFA francs (about 88 U.S. dollars) annually treating waterborne diseases. With more than 150,000 people directly benefiting from the project, local communities are expected to save hundreds of millions of CFA francs in medical expenses each year.
Children who once spent hours helping fetch water are now able to get to school on time. On average, villagers save about three hours each day previously spent hauling water, freeing them for farming, schooling, and other productive activities, Itche added.
Yao Lombo, technical advisor to Togo's Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Animal Resources, and Food Sovereignty, said the project is a vivid example of Togo-China cooperation benefiting ordinary people.
"Water is not only the source of life but also the foundation of food security," Lombo said, adding that reliable access to clean water allows farmers to devote more energy to agricultural production.
"The high construction quality and thorough technical handover by the Chinese enterprise carry long-term significance for Togo's rural revitalization," he said.
In Abalo-Cope Village, Djaho Jandress, a translator on the project who graduated in Chinese language studies from the University of Lome, has worked alongside the Chinese team for nearly two years.
"I convey the villagers' difficulties to the Chinese engineers, and bring China's goodwill to the local people," Jandress said. "Seeing children no longer drinking dirty ditch water makes everything worthwhile. The Chinese engineers are diligent and friendly. They are truly helping us with all their hearts." ■
