China's support fuels Comorian student's academic aspirations

This photo taken on Aug. 5, 2024 shows Mroivili Faouzia posing for photos at the east gate of Tianjin University's Peiyangyuan Campus in north China's Tianjin Municipality. [Xinhua]

TIANJIN -- Over the past few weeks the thing that Mroivili Faouzia had been concerned about was the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which was held in Beijing from Sept. 4 to 6.

The 24-year-old is a graduate student from East Africa's Comoros, pursuing her master's degree at Tianjin University in north China. She eagerly hopes that this summit will promote deeper cooperation between China and African countries in the field of education.

"This summit could provide more African students with incredible opportunities to pursue higher education in China and create pathways for personal and professional growth," she told Xinhua.

Faouzia is a direct beneficiary of the cooperation between the two sides championed by the FOCAC. Leading up to the 2018 FOCAC summit, Comorian President Azali Assoumani visited Tianjin University, where a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the university and the Comorian embassy in China.

Under the MoU, Tianjin University would offer scholarships to Comorian students, making Faouzia's dream of studying in China a reality.

Her fascination with China began in childhood when she bought an ice cream from a Chinese vendor in her neighborhood. Its delicious flavor sparked her curiosity and inspired a dream of visiting China, the place where the ice cream was made.

As she learned more about China, she developed a stronger interest in the country. "China was among the first nations to recognize the Comoros as an independent state and has supported my country in nearly every sector," Faouzia said.

During her second year in high school in 2017, one of her classmates began learning Chinese through a language program at the University of the Comoros. The program later evolved into the Confucius Institute which offers free Chinese courses for the locals.

"When I heard about it, I thought I'd love to study Chinese too," she said. However, the learning journey was never easy as she had a tight schedule at school and the institute is located in another city.

Despite the challenges, she has committed every Sunday since 2017 to traveling between the two cities for Chinese classes, and she believes all the effort has been worthwhile.

Around that time, Faouzia received medical care from a team of Chinese doctors sent by the Chinese government to assist with healthcare in the Comoros.

"As a premature baby, my health had been unstable for a long time. This time, the Chinese doctor performed acupuncture, and it worked like a miracle," Faouzia recalled, noting that the experience not only healed her physically but also fueled her dream of studying in China.

Six months into her Chinese studies, she competed in a Chinese proficiency contest, earning the chance to participate in the finals in China in September 2017.

"That was my first time stepping onto foreign soil," Faouzia said, adding that she was fascinated by the country the moment she arrived. "It's so different from my own country, yet so refreshing and charming."

During the contest, she visited a Chinese university and decided to further her education in China. "Fortunately, I performed well in the contest and was awarded a chance to enroll in a language study program in China."

After completing high school, she studied Chinese for a semester at the University of the Comoros before heading to Dalian University in northeast China in March 2019 for the language program.

"Deep inside, I'm a curious girl craving adventure and new cultures. I want to broaden my perspective of the world. China is definitely the dream place for me to explore," she said.

Eventually, she applied to study for her bachelor's degree at Tianjin University, supported by a special scholarship for Comorian students. She majored in computer science and technology for her bachelor's degree. For her master's, she focused on knowledge graphs, hoping to integrate artificial intelligence with medicine in her future studies.

Faouzia has made numerous Chinese friends, from classmates to supportive neighbors. She has celebrated the Spring Festival twice with local families, fully immersing herself in the vibrant tradition. "They are always ready to lend a hand, shelter me, and share their culture."

As a mark of gratitude, she has endeavored to give back to the Chinese community. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she joined a local volunteer group, offering her support as a medical assistant.

The 2024 FOCAC summit, focused on strengthening economic and political ties between China and African nations, has opened a new chapter in China-Africa cooperation.

"This is special for young African women like me, studying technology in China," Faouzia said. "The plan to build new engineering schools and Luban Workshops, with 60,000 training opportunities, shows that China wants to help Africa's youth and women. This gives us hope for a better future, where we can learn skills to help our communities," she added. 

This file photo taken on Oct. 20, 2023 shows Mroivili Faouzia posing for group photos with students during a voluntary teaching program at a primary school in Anyang, central China's Henan Province. [Xinhua]

This file photo taken on Feb. 19, 2024 shows Mroivili Faouzia (L) posing for photos with her friend, both of whom are in traditional Chinese clothing, in north China's Tianjin Municipality. [Xinhua]