Reshaping my life

My whole world was upside down at the age of ten when my mother passed away. It was a tough time for my father to raise 6 children by himself. I had to sacrifice a lot as the second child to make my life straight and provide the best for my younger siblings.

Given the situation, it's fortunate my schooling and training of accounting & computer was not interrupted. Back then, job opportunities were so few that even if I could take more significant positions after obtaining my certificates, I had no alternative choice but work as a messenger. Right after I heard CRBC was recruiting office assistants, I made an application, then passed interviews and got the job. However, getting the job was not the luckiest part. It was in the company that I met my husband. He was a plant operator and had already served the company for several years. At that time, his quality work had already earned him good reputation in the company. Together with his nice personality, reliable character and conscientious attitude, he captured my heart. We got married after dating for one year. We've been in a happy marriage and have two smart energetic children. Up to now, I still owe Mr. Liu Jingbo gratitude for his recognition when he recruited me and more importantly "matchmaking" my marriage. My husband has been in the company for almost twenty years during which period he was transferred to CRBC Tanzania Branch for five years. When the company asked for his opinion for the transfer to maintain equipments in Tanzania, he didn't have the slightest hesitation and responded to the call affirmatively. It was a tough time for me those several years. I took care of the family and raised the children on my own. In addition, I had to make sure my work was not hindered. However, I understood my husband's decision and got to know sometimes the sacrifice was necessary for the company's interest and our own careers' growth.

Working in CRBC expanded my horizon in various ways. Since I joined, I tried hard to adapt to the management philosophy of the company, actively learnt Chinese culture and made effort to integrate into my company with my heart. I treated my job seriously with great expectation as well as clear career objectives. I have been growing with the company all the time. I started as an office assistant. Later, I was transferred to Personnel Department and now I've just been promoted to Assistant Personnel Manager after having served for 17 years. During the experience in different departments and got to learn the styles of different managers which offered very valuable references for my present position. From my personal perspective, I am also eager to enrich my knowledge so I could prepare myself for bigger missions and take more responsibilities for the company. I enrolled further study courses and earned my diploma in Business Administration and Management in the year 2009. And in 2012, I started to attend a two-year senior course on Human Resource. This wouldn't have been possible without the encouragement and support from my managers and the good welfare package from the company.

Over the past fifteen years, the company has been developing in quick expansion, with a more stable root in Kenya. Meanwhile, I've witnessed the great efforts made to achieve the goal of staff localization, which has become the essence of its development strategy, making staff more united and project management more efficient. Several of my Chinese colleagues could even speak fluent Swahili after working here for years. The corporate culture and the care we have for each other also make us a big loving family.

Giving Speech at Staff Retirement Ceremony

From a company willing to shoulder its social responsibility, I feel truly proud when I introduce myself to other people as a CRBC employee. The company has contributed to the local community in other forms besides improving the road network of Kenya, such as donation to the orphan school, food delivery to Turkana's draught area, emergency rescue from collapsed buildings, which are only few of the many examples. CRBC has become a household name with gaining popularity. Every time I read positive reports of my company from newspapers or see them on television I get thrilled and emotional. Although I have to spend almost an hour on the road to office every day, with the love and devotion to the work, each commuting trip is full of joy and passion.

As a woman over the age of forty, I've had certain understandings of life. It has treated me fair. I may have experienced a difficult childhood. But, it compensated me in other forms. Working in CRBC has been a privilege. CRBC has been reshaping the Kenya road network to some extent. Yet at the same time, it has also been reshaping my life. I feel blessed to have the abundant opportunities to cultivate my potential here. People around me always tell me that I am a self-made woman and they even feel jealous of me at times. Having a happy marriage, a good stable job and two healthy children, I would say I'm bestowed with God's benevolence. But deep inside, what I cherish even more is the optimistic and hardworking African legacy that runs through my vein. Working in CRBC for so long, I've learnt diligence is one of the core values of the Chinese spirit and also a trait that people working in construction industry must embrace.

As a mother of two boys attending secondary & primary school, I've been trying to offer them the best exposure to knowledge as much as I could. Lately, after consulting my Chinese colleagues, I plan sending them to China to pursue university education. Kenya Vision 2030 needs a great number of talented young people working together to achieve this goal. I want my children to be well-equipped with the necessary skills and be prepared for the Kenya transformation and the challenges ahead. To some extent, my Kenya dream and this China dream are interwoven and linked. Though we are from different continents, born with different skin colors, our pursuits are the same. I pray for my company for further development and hope for the best of Kenya-China brotherhood.