12 Chinese volunteers set off for Ethiopia on Thursday, the first time the country has dispatched volunteers to Africa.

The 12 volunteers will stay in Ethiopia for six months and help local residents develop the use of marsh gas, improve physical education, develop information technology and upgrade medical treatment.

The project was jointly organized by the Ministry of Commerce, the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Young League and the Chinese Youth Volunteers Association (CYVA).

"The services provided by the Chinese volunteers are in accordance with the demands of Ethiopia," said Hou Baosen, an official from CYVA.

China does not often send professionals in marsh gas technology and physical education abroad, according to Hou.

Of the 12 volunteers on this trip to Ethiopia, four are professionals in marsh gas technology and three are specialists in physical education training.

Used to dispatching people to other Asian countries, the CYVA anticipates a whole new set of problems for volunteers in Africa. "The environment will be totally new for the volunteers," Hou said. "They will face challenges from language to culture shock."

All the volunteers have received training on the local language and customs as well as instructions on how to deal with emergencies.

"Although it is a tough task, I am still glad to have this chance," said Feng Ai, who is still pursuing her doctor's degree at Shanghai's Fudan University.

(China Daily August 4, 2005)