[One Belt, One Road Story] The "pioneers" heading towards the sun

"A lone smoke rises straight in the desert, and the sun sets over the long river." After being accustomed to the misty rain in the south of the Yangtze River in my hometown, when I saw the desert Gobi covered with sand and stones, I felt that there was an indescribable rugged beauty.

In January 2022, the first batch of builders from the Iraqi Demonstration School Project Department of the Fourth Hydropower Bureau arrived at the construction site. It is both difficult and an opportunity to open up a new world in this desert with an average temperature of 40 degrees, scorching sun, raging sand and dust, and desolate and lonely. Because the Iraqi Demonstration School Project is not only the first project undertaken by the Fourth Hydropower Bureau in Iraq, but also a major political project and livelihood project in Iraq. It is the first batch of projects in the national 7,000 school development plan formulated based on Iraq's public fiscal budget. It is the Iraqi government's current top priority and most important project, and has important social and economic significance.

Start the pioneering journey

In January 2022, the first batch of "pioneers" of the Iraq Demonstration School Project arrived at the project. Like the scorching sun in the sky, they immediately got into work mode with their longing and enthusiasm for the new environment, starting a new stage of their dream-chasing journey.

As newcomers, they were not familiar with the Middle East market. Although they had prepared themselves mentally, they were still worried. In the process of negotiating contracts with subcontractors and clarifying the construction period of each school, although they had made sufficient preparations in the early stage, problems still occurred frequently, such as subcontractors' doubts about the feasibility of shortening the construction period, unclear labor dispatch organization model in third countries, and owners' lack of trust in construction technology, which made it difficult to advance the construction period for a long time.

When the project just started, the accommodation conditions were simple. They worked hard to study the drawings and construction plans in the dim light at night. Everyone knew that the project was highly concerned, and the construction time was tight, the task was heavy, and the difficulty was great. Once the bow was drawn, there was no turning back. This was a "game" that could only be won and not lost. They were under tremendous pressure, and they kept their minds on alert at all times, and went all out to move forward under negative pressure.

"As long as everyone works towards the same goal, there is no problem that cannot be overcome. When this project is completed and solves the schooling problems of many local children, it will be such a fulfilling thing. We are also deep participants along the 'Belt and Road'." The project department construction team encouraged each other.

During the initial planning stage of the project department, the overall labor cost was controlled from the personnel perspective, and close contact was made with labor agencies in third countries to introduce third-country laborers in batches. At the same time, on-the-job training was adopted, with Chinese employees conducting systematic training for the first batch of third-country laborers, selecting outstanding employees as shift leaders, and then handing them over in turn. This not only avoided talent gaps, but also helped promote and use construction technology, greatly ensuring construction progress and efficiency.

As a professional talent team gradually took shape, the project department struck while the iron was hot and communicated with the Iraqi Engineers Association to interview and recruit engineers with experience in international project work. It also carried out technical briefings and business training, held monthly exchanges and seminars for Chinese and Iraqi engineers, and built a professional local team. A total of more than 400 Iraqi employees participated in the training.

Thanks to their efforts, the local government, owners and subcontractors have become more confident in the project department's staffing and construction technology, and have recognized the project department's plan to shorten the construction period, agreeing to hand over some schools before June 2023. Faced with the hard-earned gains, the project department staff have become more confident. In their view, there is no difficulty that cannot be overcome. They will definitely go further and further on this road.

Writing the footprints of struggle

The desert in the morning was as clean as if it had been washed by water. The sun was hanging far in the sky, the sky was clear and blue, the wind was gentle and the clouds were light. The rugged desert stretched to the end of the horizon.

"My hometown also has a boundless desert and a crescent-shaped spring, surrounded by rolling sand hills. Only this spring is as green as jade, lying quietly in the arms of the sand hills, and has not dried up for thousands or tens of thousands of years. I heard from the old people that it is the blessing of the sun and a miracle of the desert. After the project is completed, I will take you to see it." said an employee of the project department.

Employees from all over the world have been working hard on the demonstration school project for half a year without realizing it, and now they have entered the hard work period of project construction. At this time, they also encountered many difficulties such as the long laboratory testing cycle.

During the construction phase below zero, the project department sent relevant material samples for testing according to the requirements of the local laboratory. However, due to the unfamiliarity with the process and the uncertainty of the testing time of the National Central Laboratory in the early stage, the testing period of various material samples was long, and the testing time of some samples was as long as 2-3 weeks, which seriously affected the construction progress.

In this regard, the project department sent a dedicated person to communicate with the laboratory, and clarified with the laboratory technical director the 17 standard test cycles such as compaction test and sand and gravel backfill test, and required each subcontracting team to arrange material inspection in advance according to the construction schedule and standard test cycle. At the same time, when the standard test cycle is reached, go to the laboratory to check the results as soon as possible.

Due to the large amount of construction work and the critical period of large-scale material delivery, a single laboratory could not meet the experimental needs. After repeated communication, the owner agreed to temporarily add a laboratory at the University of Baghdad for material inspection and testing. The inspection cycle was controlled within 5 days, which greatly alleviated the inspection pressure and provided a solid guarantee for the smooth progress of on-site construction.

For thousands of years, the rolling yellow sand could not swallow up the crescent-shaped spring in my hometown. It reflects the blue sky, the bright green light, and maintains the vitality of the desert. The wanderers in a foreign land, even though they are covered with thorns, still inherit the tenacious spirit, open up their own world in the boundless desert of a foreign country, and write a glorious chapter of struggle.

Gathering brilliant stars

They went to a foreign land with their dreams, using dreams as oars and struggle as boats, braving the wind and rain and fighting the waves. Gradually, more and more local people joined this group, walking hand in hand with the same dream, integrating ancient civilization into the pace of the times of building a "community with a shared future for mankind", and also gathering countless dreams into a brilliant galaxy on this land.

Speaking of the local engineers of the project department, we have to mention Joseph, a top student who graduated from the University of Baghdad with a major in civil engineering. He joined the project department in April 2022. At that time, he lacked work experience and had weak overall control over the site, which made it very difficult to carry out his work.

Coincidentally, at that time, the project department built a communication platform for Chinese employees, reserved local talent teams, and made every effort to promote local construction in accordance with the local government's requirement that the number of employees employed should not be less than 50% of the total number of employees. Joseph also took this express train and began to participate in various knowledge and skills training organized by the project department. In the process of technical briefing training, Sino-Iranian technical exchange seminars, safety production training and quality control training, Joseph gradually mastered a lot of theoretical knowledge, felt the sincerity of the project department to local employees, and became more determined to build his hometown together with Chinese companies.

After the training, he followed the Chinese engineers to carry out field operations. The initial work was not smooth, with problems such as confusion in statistical report data, unfamiliarity with management processes, and inability to integrate theoretical and practical knowledge. Under the patient guidance of the Chinese engineers, he studied hard, asked for advice immediately when he did not understand something, and made a timely summary.

After three months of study and training, as his personal abilities improved, the number of schools he was responsible for increased from 5 to 10, making him a role model for the growth and achievement of local employees.

After a year of growth, Joseph has grown from a young man to a field production manager with solid theoretical knowledge and rich management experience. In addition to his daily work, Joseph also serves as a trainer for local employees, leading new employees to adapt to the working environment as quickly as possible.

Joseph said: "With the help of my colleagues and the guidance of my master, I have grown very quickly and felt the warmth of home. I will do my best to teach the knowledge I have learned to new employees. I hope everyone can gain something here and meet a better self."

The moonlight pours down like water, falling on the boundless desert, with a soft silvery glow, not as sharp as the sunlight during the day, but revealing a hint of gentleness and softness. Those "pioneers" who cross mountains and seas and travel thousands of miles practice the corporate spirit of "constantly striving for self-improvement and daring to surpass" and the value pursuit of "four courages and one action", telling the emotional sustenance in the lonely smoke of the desert.

One year later, the Iraqi demonstration school project will be built. The sound of reading will be the best proof of their struggle and the magnificent movement of the song of unity, development and friendship between the Chinese and Iraqi peoples.