Kenyan returnee scientist spearheading cooperation with China

Growing up in the scenic hills of Kenya's Nandi county, Henry Rotich would hardly imagine that one day he would go to China and become a chemist back home.

The 44-year-old father of two was nostalgic during an interview with Xinhua as he narrated a life journey marked with triumphs against huge obstacles.

"Growing up in the village back in the day had its thrills and hardships, but there was lingering desire to succeed in life. My uncle who was a mechanical engineer encouraged me to study hard and secure an honorable career," said Rotich.

A hardworking learner since primary school, Rotich later went to University of Nairobi where he finished a degree in chemistry in 1995 before he finally secured a job in Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS).

It was at KEBS that Rotich applied for a Chinese government scholarship for bright young Kenyan yearning to study mandarin.

"My application was successful, and was later invited for an interview. The panel was impressed by my passion to study Chinese language and my boss urged me on insisting the future belonged to China," recalled Rotich.

His one-year Chinese language course at a Beijing-based university was an opener to the budding chemist. He then started a four year masters degree in analytical chemistry in a university in northeast China in 1998.

His excellent performance at the master's level earned him another Chinese scholarship to pursue a doctorate in chemistry which he finished in 2006. And he also found his better half, a Chinese lady whom he married in the same year.

Armed with a doctorate, Rotich was reabsorbed by his former employer and is currently the coordinator in charge of research and development at KEBS.

Rotich belongs to the pioneering group of Kenyans who gained a wealth of skills and insight while studying in China, and he credits Chinese professors for molding him to become an accomplished chemical engineer.

"My Chinese professor exposed me to new and valuable insight that I am currently applying in my workstation. Universities in China are heavily funded and equipped while research is thorough; it was therefore easy to accomplish my dream of becoming a scientist," Rotich told Xinhua, adding that knowledge of Chinese language also enriched his understanding and appreciation of a rich culture.

His grasp of mandarin is highly valued at KEBS where Chinese delegations make frequent visits.

"Whenever Chinese investors visit KEBS to request information on issues like certification, I am the one tasked with translation. This morning, three Chinese companies visited this premises to obtain a mark of quality," he disclosed.

Morever, the engineer has also been at the forefront linking Kenyan and Chinese scientific bodies.

"Here at KEBS, we have established joint research programs with Chinese academic institutions. We have a robust working relationship with national metrology institute of China," said Rotich, adding that interaction with Chinese scientists has enriched his daily job of ensuring products meet globally acceptable quality.

Rotich's annual visits to Beijing to attend a global meeting on pesticide residues have been an eye opener. During those visits, Rotich has witnessed phenomenal changes in China that include development of new infrastructure, skyscrapers and shopping malls.

"The changes I witness during my annual visits to Beijing are profound. The rate of growth in China is very rapid," he told Xinhua.

Kenyan scholars who studied in China are convinced the bilateral ties with the Asian giant will thrive for the long haul. Rotich stressed that China has been central to Kenya's socio- economic transformation.

"Our cooperation with China has deepened and as a result, there are profound benefits as witnessed by new roads and increased bilateral trade," he said, noting that the establishment of a Sino- Africa research body in a Kenyan university that will strengthen collaboration in agriculture, biodiversity and health. Endi