Rwandan people attend the completion ceremony of a China-funded village television project in Rulindo District, central Rwanda, on May 24, 2019. (Xinhua/Gabriel Dusabe)
RULINDO, Rwanda, May 26 (Xinhua) -- The completion ceremony of a China-funded village television project was held in Rulindo District, central Rwanda, on Friday, where China and Rwanda signed a handover document.
The project of Access to Satellite TV for 10,000 African Village, part of the outcomes of the 2015 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit, provides 300 Rwandan villages with free access to satellite TV.
During the implementation, a total of 900 TV sets, 6,000 decoder sets, 600 projectors, 600 solar panels have been installed countrywide, said Jing Yuchang, CEO of StarTimes Media (Rwanda) Co., Ltd, at the ceremony.
StarTimes, which carried out the project, has trained over 120 Rwandan youth's engineers to help in the installation and maintenance of the equipment after the installation to ensure continuity of the project, said Jing.
With the newly installed TV sets and devices, a new world is opened for the beneficiaries who have access to all the information on agriculture, science and technology, education and etc., said Xing Yuchun, charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Rwanda.
Rulindo mayor Emmanuel Kayiranga delivers a speech at the completion ceremony of a China-funded village television project in Rulindo District, central Rwanda, on May 24, 2019. (Xinhua/Gabriel Dusabe)
The project will expand their horizon, improve welfare, and provide more opportunities for a better life, especially for the promising younger generation, she said.
The influence and role of TV has grown in Rwanda, but the penetration is low because of high costs of sets, lack of electricity and coverage access, said Assumpta Ingabire, Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Local Government.
This project will help Rwanda achieve a better nationwide TV penetration, and ensure wide access to TV through public TVs, said Ingabire.
It helps local people to connect all over the world and will be helpful for people to receive more information, Rulindo mayor Emmanuel Kayiranga told Xinhua after the ceremony.