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The Kinshasa Central Grand Market Project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, located on the east side of Kinshasa Botanic Park, covers an area of 36,750 square meters, and has a construction area of about 78,000 square meters, including mobile booths, shops, cold storage, logistics facilities and other sections. The project is situated on the site of the old ZANDO Market, which was built over 50 years ago and is the largest market in the country. This project is a very important project within the vision framework to modernize the infrastructure of D. R. Congo, aiming to improve the local economic and trade environment and promote the sustainable development of the local economy.
Central Grand Market under Construction
Former market vendor Helene, 32 years old, has been selling clothes at ZANDO Market for seven or eight years. She said: "I have never been able to go home clean for one day. My stall is surrounded by garbage and sewage every day,and the bad smell is like an endless nightmare. There are no toilets, no water, and no electricity. The most challenging time is the rainy season, because the drainage ditches are blocked all year round. Every time it rains, the whole market is flooded, and several times my goods have been washed away. But what can I do? I have two children and no education myself. Selling here is the only job I can do for my husband and family. So, having a clean stall is my biggest dream."
Current situation of roadside stalls
Completed booth on the second floor, Area A
Local worker (Alan), 33 years old, has been working on the site since the project construction started in September 2022. Initially, he was just a handyman, but he is hard-working, smart and eager to learn. Whenever he has free time, he follows the Chinese master to learn how to tie steel bars and install formwork, learning earnestly. Later, he became proficient at reading drawings. When the project’s main construction began, the project team assigned him to lead the night construction crew. He consistently completed tasks exceptionally well, earning him a promotion to local crew leader on the project, and his remuneration also increased.
After the main construction was completed, he expressed a desire to become a bricklayer, which is puzzling. After we questioned him repeatedly, he sheepishly admitted, "The year before I started working on the project, I was unemployed, and I had no skills, especially in Kinshasa, a city with a large population where jobs were hard to find. I helped my wife sell clothes in the original ZANDO market. My wife and I have been married for seven or eight years, and we struggled for seven or eight years. Our children were still young, and life was difficult. When I saw that the project was hiring workers. I didn't hesitate to come for an interview. Because I didn’t have many skills, I could only work as a handyman at the beginning. I am especially grateful to my Chinese master, Lao Han, who patiently taught us the knowledge of site construction and how to read drawings. I have been able to take on more and more tasks. The project department has also promoted me and increased my salary, which has greatly improved our home conditions. I told my wife to stop working at the stall because the environment was too harsh and painful, and now I can support my family. However, she insists on continuing to run the stall to ease my burden. I was touched and I knew she had always wanted to have a clean stall. I wanted to build it for her as a gift, so I asked to learn how to lay red bricks." Alan's eyes moistened as he spoke, and the project team immediately agreed to his request.
Local employees are laying bricks
Within a couple of months following the completion of the main body, Alan also lived up to expectations. He led the team to complete the masonry work of the booths in Area A, with each booth having a red brick that he personally placed.
Rendering of the booth area in operation
The General Manager of the Employment and Social Security Bureau said: "The construction of the Central Grand Market not only enhances the image of commercial center of Gombe District, but also effectively promotes local employment. At its peak, the project employed up to 800 local workers, respresenting 800 families. We especially thank WIETC for persisting in recruiting local staff despite the tight construction schedule. They have trained a large number of excellent skilled workers for us."
View of the Central Grand Market from the Botanic Park
The General Manager of SOGEMA, an African market operation company, stated: "The design and construction of the Kinshasa Central Grand Market is a unique project in the entire African region, embodying distinct African characteristics. This kind of market is not only needed in Kinshasa, but we also we plan to promote similar projects throughout D. R. Congo and even across Africa. We are grateful for the contribution made by WIETC.”Built by China, a global force. Your dream, we help realize.
