Paul Umukunzi (2nd L, front), director general of the Rwanda TVET Board, and staff members visit Zhengzhou Electric Power College in Zhengzhou, central China's Henan Province, Nov. 4, 2025. (Xinhua)
ZHENGZHOU, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- For Kellia Kundwa and 16 other young Rwandans, their journey to a lecture hall halfway across the world began with trails of paperwork, visa appointments and long-haul flights.
Kundwa felt a surge of gratitude when she stood before her school opening ceremony that captured not just her own excitement, but the determination of a generation entrusted with shaping its country's future. "The dream to study in China has come true," she had told the ceremony.
These 17 young Rwandans are the pioneers of the Sino-Africa Polytechnic -- a program whose Chinese name nods to the ancient Silk Road trade routes, though its new currency is skill rather than silk.
Earlier this week, the 17 students began a demanding two-year course in power system automation technology at Zhengzhou Electric Power College in central China's Henan Province. The course is expected to begin with systematic theoretical and practical training. They were selected from the first cohort of 80 students and are entrusted with a clear mission: master the science of electrical grids and return home equipped to help solve one of Rwanda's most urgent challenges -- powering its economic transformation.
"We are on a journey of economic transformation, and power and energy are among the challenges we face," said Paul Umukunzi, director general of the Rwanda TVET Board, who described the occasion as "historic" for his country's technical and vocational training system.
The senior official, who has held his post for five years, said the moment carried personal meaning. "It is my first time attending such a ceremony," Umukunzi said -- a small confession that underscored the symbolic weight of this partnership.
The polytechnic is a product of Chinese educational expertise meeting private investment. It connects Zhengzhou Electric Power College, the Forever TVET Institute vocational school in Rwanda, and Beijing Forever Technology Co., Ltd., which is a Chinese company that has already built a solid presence in the East African nation.
This model isn't entirely new. It builds on groundwork laid in 2018, when Beijing Forever Technology partnered with Rwandan authorities to establish the Forever TVET Institute in Kigali, which had produced some 2,000 graduates in disciplines ranging from heavy machinery control to land survey and mapping by the end of 2024.
This undated file photo shows young Rwandans learning heavy machinery manipulation skills at the Forever TVET Institute vocational school in Rwanda. (Xinhua)
For Rwanda, the math is simple. "We need a qualified workforce in various economic sectors," Umukunzi said, framing the students' studies in China as a direct investment in Rwandan development.
"We take China as a role model," he added, emphasizing that the transfer of skills and knowledge will contribute to Rwanda's ongoing economic transformation, with graduates set to return to their homeland on the East African Plateau to contribute to key projects like national grid construction and clean energy development.
The program is also seen as "a vivid example of Henan's educational services for the Belt and Road Initiative," said Wang Huaxing, an official of the provincial education department. It signals a new phase in China-Rwanda educational cooperation -- one that is becoming more institutionalized, more routine, and is built to last, Wang said.
During a tour of the college grounds, Umukunzi walked through a full-scale replica of a 220-kilovolt substation, observing intelligent robotic inspection equipment. "I'm really impressed by the quality of the training that the college is offering," he said, noting that the equipment meets international standards.
For the students, the experience is as much about cultural discovery as it is about academic pursuit. David Uwizeye, who is one of these students, said that his first impression of China had surpassed everything he had imagined.
"The most impressive thing for me is how fast and how good the country looks," he said. "It is much more advanced than I ever thought from what I saw on social media and elsewhere." He described China as "a warm and friendly community," and as a place that offers not just education, but space to grow.
"We are experiencing a lot of things that we never learned before," Uwizeye said, noting that his focus remains firmly on the future. "After completing this two-year program, I expect to gain the skills that my country needs for its development."
The education being gained in the classroom extends far beyond technical manuals. Uwizeye and his peers see themselves as both engineers and bridges between nations. "I also hope to contribute to the Chinese community by sharing our culture and experiences," he said, expressing hope that he could serve as "an ambassador of friendship" between Rwanda and China.
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