Feature: Kenyan students relish journey to China to pursue dreams

Eddy Mwangi's ancestral village in central Kenya is renowned for producing intellectual heavy weights thanks to abundance of well equipped modern schools.

The 19-year-old son of career civil servants was privileged to study in national schools that encourage hard work, team spirit and service to community.

Mwangi graduated from high school with an impressive grade that secured him a place in the University of Nairobi where he enrolled for a degree in petroleum engineering.

Early this month, he received an unexpected call from the Chinese Embassy in Nairobi to inform him that he had won a four-year scholarship to pursue a bachelor's degree in petroleum engineering at China University of Geosciences (Wuhan).

During an interview with Xinhua on Tuesday at a pre-departure ceremony for 67 Kenyan students awarded the 2015 Chinese government funded scholarships, Mwangi felt honored to visit the Asian Giant and pursue his career dreams.

"When I applied for the Chinese government funded scholarship, it never crossed my mind that I would be among the winners. A call from the Chinese Embassy ushered a new turning point in my academic life," he said.

Mwangi had since childhood cherished the dream of pursuing a prestigious course that would enable him make a difference in the society.

The bubbly youth said that a degree in petroleum engineering will enable him make a positive contribution to his homeland as it leapfrogs to the next level of socio-economic progress.

"Kenya requires a critical mass of trained personnel to help exploit our nascent oil and gas sector. I believe this sector has potential to accelerate economic growth," Mwangi told Xinhua, adding that he looks forward to work in the government after completing his study tour in China.

Kenyan youth who benefitted from the 2015 Chinese government funded scholarships were excited about the prospects of visiting the country to explore its magical charm alongside economic and technological progress.

Juliet Wanza, a 19-year-old economics student, said the news about her winning a scholarship to study computer science and technology at Jiangsu University sounded like a dream.

"My father urged me to apply for a scholarship to study in China but I did not give it much thought. Later I applied and when the Chinese Embassy officials informed me that I had won the scholarship, the excitement was too profound,"Wanza told Xinhua.

She plans to pursue a post graduate degree in computer engineering and later start her own company to provide employment to young Kenyans.

Kenyan students from across the ethnic, geographical, gender and socio-economic divide benefitted from this year's Chinese government funded scholarships.

Nelius Maingi, a 29-year-old beneficiary who won a scholarship to pursue a three year master's degree in environmental sciences at Tianjing Polytechnic University, noted that gender balance was considered during the award of scholarships.

"We thank the Chinese government for opening new opportunities for young female scholars in Kenya," Maingi said.

The Chinese government has for decades sponsored Kenyan students to pursue cream course in the country's prestigious universities. Currently, there are over 200 Kenyan students pursuing coveted disciplines like engineering, medicine and aerospace in Chinese Universities.

Kenya's Principal Secretary for Education, Belio Kipsang, noted that Sino-Kenya cooperation in education has improved tremendously in the last decade.

"The number of scholarships awarded by the Chinese government has increased and this a confirmation that our cooperation in the field of education and technology transfer is blossoming," Kipsang said, adding that Kenya will leverage on skills acquired from China by its youth to promote industrial development. Endit