'Public Benefit International Challenge': Young Chinese come up with ideas to improve people's lives in Africa

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A contest has wrapped up in Beijing that challenges Chinese teenagers to come up with innovative ideas to tackle public health issues in Africa. CGTN's You Yang has the story.

A group of young messengers for China-Africa friendship are competing to offer ways to improve life in Africa.

A program called 'Digital Library Africa' aims to raise funds by selling Chinese story recordings in English -- and help children in South Africa with rare diseases.

THEMBEKILE MPHUTHI MEMBER OF TEAM 'DIGITAL LIBRARY AFRICA' "We would like to ensure health care and education for the children in need in South Africa."

16-year-old Thembe comes from South Africa, she's currently a junior school student in Beijing. Thembe says she felt quite proud to do something with her Chinese friends for her homeland.

Together with Thembe, these young students, between the ages of 10 and 17, are offering ideas to fight female genital cutting in Kenya, deliver clean drinking water in Zambia, and provide vaccine transportation to Uganda.

And their performances have deeply impressed the judges -- who include professors from top US universities.

PBIC was founded in 2017 by the China-Africa Business Council and the China Social Assistance Foundation, to promote exchanges between young people in China and Africa. After 3 years of development, the contest has attracted hundreds of Chinese students.

The program is also supported by the United Nations. Its work ties into the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development while giving the young participants an opportunity for growth.

For the implementation of their projects in Africa in the future... The young students are full of confidence.

As the saying goes, love makes the world go around. These young Chinese people are using their innovative ideas to reshape China and Africa and make the world a better place. You Yang, CGTN.