BEIJING, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) — When Jamlick Mwangi Kariuki came to China seven years ago to study transportation, his home country of Kenya had only one narrow-gauge railway, built by the British nearly a century ago.

Using the old railway line, it takes about nine hours to get from Mombasa to Nairobi, said Kariuki, referring to the country’s capital and largest port city.

In May 2017, a modern railway line built by China connecting the two cities was opened to traffic. The 480-kilometer-long standard gauge railway (SGR) cuts rail travel time between the two cities in half and is considered a showcase project and successful example of Chinese-Kenyan Silk Road cooperation.

Just as the modern, efficient railway has made travel easier and promoted Kenya’s economic development, Kariuki’s own life has also moved into the fast lane of development with the expansion of China-Africa cooperation.

Months before the modern railway was due to open, Kariuki applied for a special undergraduate degree program jointly initiated by Beijing Jiaotong University and the China Road & Bridge Corporation, which had been contracted to build the Mombasa-Nairobi SGR. The four-year undergraduate course in China provided Kariuki and his Kenyan classmates with much-needed knowledge of railway development and maintenance.

Over the years, a total of 100 Kenyan students have benefited from this undergraduate programme aimed at developing talent in the field of railway transport and management. According to Kariuki, many of them became actively involved in the development of the railway system in their home country after graduation.

After completing his undergraduate studies in 2021, Kariuki returned to Kenya and started working as an assistant engineer at the Kenya Railways Corporation. Although his first job, which required him to inspect the tracks of the Mombasa-Nairobi railway, didn’t sound particularly glamorous, it was essential.

“My job was to find out if there were any defects that needed to be repaired and things that needed maintenance,” Kariuki said.

In addition, he was involved in railroad management planning at corporate headquarters, where engineers determine upcoming tasks, resource allocation and other factors that affect railroad operations.

During his tenure, Kariuki learned first-hand how the railway has promoted Kenya’s economic development.

“It’s been almost seven years since the railway opened and we can see that over time the railway is contributing to economic growth and creating jobs,” he said. “There are quite a number of people who were unemployed and are now working there.”

Data shows that the development of the Mombasa-Nairobi SGR has created over 50,000 jobs and trained more than 2,800 highly skilled specialists in railway technology and management in Kenya. In addition, it was estimated that the project contributed about 2 percent to the country’s gross domestic product.

After working for the company for two years, Kariuki realized he needed to expand his expertise. In his words, “If we want to develop further, we need to expand our knowledge.”

To achieve this, Kariuki decided to return to Beijing Jiaotong University to begin a master’s degree in civil engineering in 2023.

In the same year, China celebrated both the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Kenya. In addition to the Mombasa-Nairobi SGR, major projects such as an oil terminal at the Port of Mombasa were also undertaken.

After years of studying in China, the 26-year-old now speaks fluent Chinese and enjoys Chinese green tea as much as the tea bags made in Kenya. He has traveled to many places in China by high-speed train and hopes that his parents and siblings will one day join him in his journey of discovery through the country.

Currently, Kariuki is focusing on gaining in-depth knowledge of railway construction and is studying subjects such as solid mechanics, steel structures and advanced concrete materials. After completing his postgraduate studies, he plans to return to work at Kenya Railway.

Kariuki pointed out that his work in engineering also gives him the opportunity to work on the construction of highways and other similar infrastructure projects that are needed in Kenya.

“When I return, I will use all the skills I acquired there to ensure that Kenya becomes a regional force in the railway sector.” When young Kariuki left for China seven years ago, he spoke about his goals.

Today, the BRI cooperation is bearing further fruit and the young African railway engineer is closer than ever to realizing his dream.