Teenager's rewarding Chinese language journey sparks interest in Kenya

NAIROBI — Mirriam Wambui, a 13-year-old student, speaks Chinese with the confidence of a seasoned linguist despite having only two years of exposure to the language. She won the national title in the Chinese Bridge competition in Kenya, ranked sixth in Africa, and placed in the top 30 globally at the 17th Chinese Bridge Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign Secondary School Students held in China's Tianjin in late October.

"I was thrilled to be announced the winner during the Chinese Bridge Kenya edition competition," Mirriam says.

Her journey with the Chinese language began through her eldest brother, who traveled to China in 2015 to pursue a master's degree in Chinese. When he returned to visit their family in Nairobi in 2019, Mirriam was captivated by his fluency in Chinese. "My brother came back with a cellphone I had never seen before, and everything he brought, including electronics, was made in China. I became curious about this country that seemed to produce so much," she says with a giggle.

Inspired, she enrolled in Chinese language classes at her junior secondary school two years ago. In May, she made a request to her Chinese teacher: She wanted to join the team representing her school in the Chinese Bridge competition.

"My teacher was shocked because it was just two weeks until the competition. All along, I had been waiting to be chosen, but when it became clear that I wasn't, I decided to ask for the opportunity because I believed in myself," she recalls.

Her belief in herself paid off. She impressed the judges with her speech, essay and performance at the competition held at Kenyatta University, Kenya's second-oldest university.

"I won a laptop, a trophy and a fully sponsored two-week trip to China. It was so exciting," she says.

In October, she traveled to China with her teacher. "I loved it. The people were so welcoming. Everyone was so nice," she says of her trip.

Her success has inspired other students at her school to take up Chinese. Her teacher, Charity Atunga, says that Chinese is the most popular of the three optional languages offered, with 90 out of 200 students choosing to learn it.

"There's a lot of support from parents and the school administration, which makes the learning experience positive. The students also see the benefits, such as scholarships," says Atunga, who, teaching Chinese for four years, accompanied two students to China.

Atunga is also a beneficiary of Chinese language scholarships. After studying in China, she worked for several Chinese businesses and educational institutions before becoming a teacher.

Salome Nyambura, director of Kenyatta University's Confucius Institute, speaks of Mirriam's achievement as "a testament to the growing interest in Chinese culture and language in Kenya".

Nyambura also mentions a new crash program at the university for teachers wanting to learn Chinese. "The classes are full, showing a strong desire to introduce Chinese programs in schools."

Kenyatta University, in partnership with Shandong Normal University, hosts the Chinese Bridge competition for high school students in Kenya. Through this partnership, over 300 Kenyan students have traveled to China.

"I want to become an ambassador in the future and learn more about Chinese language and culture," says Mirriam.