NAIROBI, June 8 (Xinhua) -- From Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, to rural communities across the country, many young Kenyans are learning Mandarin and even teaching their parents how to master the language.
Mary Wanjiru, a mother of two, said her sons first began learning Mandarin through social media and online videos at home before gradually becoming more confident in speaking the language.
"I felt very happy when I heard my sons saying Ni Hao to me at home. Although I do not speak the language, I now know that when they say Ni Hao, they are greeting me, and I respond the same way," she said.
Inspired by their progress, she set up a Mandarin learning timetable at home for her two sons. "My sons started learning Chinese in 2020, and it has been a six-year journey. They have mainly used YouTube at home," Wanjiru said.
As their interest in the language grew, Wanjiru enrolled them at the Confucius Institute of Kenyatta University. "For me, Chinese is becoming an important language for international trade. Exposing my children to Chinese is like giving them a gift that they continue to unwrap every day because there is always something new to learn," she said.
"I believe that by the time the world fully recognizes the importance of Mandarin in trade and business, my two sons will already be in a better position to benefit from those opportunities," she added.
Winnie Makena Lemaron, a mother of four, has also been supporting her nine-year-old eldest daughter in learning Mandarin through online lessons at home.
"I strongly support my children in learning Mandarin, and they seem to master the language faster than I do," Lemaron said, adding that her daughter, now in Grade 4, recently received additional encouragement when her school introduced Mandarin lessons.
For the past month, the young girl has been balancing the new classes at school with her existing online lessons at home.
"My daughter started by learning simple words such as Ni Hao online, but now she is also learning Chinese at school. At first, the teacher put a lot of pressure on students to learn the language quickly, but my daughter learns best when she progresses at her own pace," Lemaron said.
At the recent Sixth Chinese Bridge Show for Foreign Primary School Students Kenya Division Finals, Kenya-China Alumni Association Chairman Henry Rotich praised the growing popularity of Mandarin among young Kenyan learners.
"Kenyan learners are really picking up Chinese, especially at the primary and secondary school levels, where we continue to see impressive performances," Rotich said.
"Many Kenyans are embracing Chinese because they recognize the opportunities it creates. The language opens doors to different destinations and career opportunities around the world," he added. ■