Chinese Government provides RMB 59.5 million grant for Houses for Women and Children Construction Project

Project narrative

On July 15, 2004 and July 29, 2005, the Chinese Government and the Government of Mali signed two Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreements (ETCAs), both of which committed grant funding for the Houses for Women and Children Construction Project. China’s Ministry of Commerce reportedly committed RMB 59,500,000 in total. The project involved the construction of 10 Houses for Women and Children (or “Maisons de la Femme et de l'Enfant”) in 10 regions of Mali: Kayes, Koulikoro, Bamako, Sikasso, Gao, Kidal, Ségou, Timbuktu and Mopti. The buildings that were constructed included training and learning rooms, classrooms and games for children, multimedia rooms, and computer rooms. China Civil Engineering Corporation (CCECC) was the contractor responsible for implementation. On April 30, 2007, it signed a construction contract with Mali’s Director of the Office of the Minister of Housing and Urbanization. Then, on January 12, 2008, the President of the Republic of Mali laid a foundation stone for the first House for Women and Children in Bamako. The project was officially completed and handed over the local authorities on March 7, 2010.