A Legacy of Friendship

Equatorial Guinea’s funding helps bring modern education to a rural Chinese school

- Hu Fan

When told he was to visit a school in China funded by Equatorial Guinea, Daniel Oloo, a Kenyan studying at the Communication University of China, was somewhat skeptical. Oloo said he had never heard of any school in China funded by an African country.

In early September, together with his classmates Donatien Niyonzima, a Rwandan, and Vincent Mbonihankuye, a Burundian, Oloo joined a trip organized by ChinAfrica magazine to visit Yunnan Province in southwest China. On September 9, the fourth day of their trip, they arrived at the ChinaEquatorial Guinea Friendship Primary School located in Jinping County.

First built in 1918, the century-old school was renovated with funding of around 4.9 million yuan ($721,300) from Equatorial Guinea in 2016 and was renamed for the eighth time in its history.

At the school, the African guests were greeted by student representatives, who briefed them on the school’s history, most notably the renovation under the banner of China-Equatorial Guinea friendship, and various programs of the school. In return, Oloo and Niyonzima gave students an English class.

Standing in front of the five-story teaching complex, Oloo was amazed by how China-Africa friendship is helping local communities. “The school is assisting some of the children living in poverty to be able to grow up and become productive members of society,” he told ChinAfrica.

Mark of friendship