A unique life journey

My name is Koech, 52 years old. My home is located at Eldoret, 300km north of Nairobi. I was working as a self-governed mechanic while farming in my home area in 1980's. What I could do was only random piece work. In many circumstances, I was full of energy and well prepared to work, but there was simply no stable job available. By chance, I heard that not far away from my village, a Chinese company was constructing a road and intended to employ local staff. I decided to try my luck. It was so surprising when I got the offer and finally I had a place to make use of my strength and skills. After the completion of that road, the company got another project in Kisumu. Since then, I've been following the company everywhere for the past 23 years. This is the company I've been proud of and where I realized my dreams. It's called CRBC.

Kenyan people, who could work with one company like me for over 10 years, are not many. The reason why I prefer to stay long is CRBC has been gaining better development all these years hence my job is secure. Also, the income I could have is the main and the most reliable support for my 13-member family. My father is 96 years old. My wife and my three younger brothers are unemployed. Six children out of seven are attending school.

Part of My Family Members

In August of 2013, my second daughter was admitted by one of the best learning institutes in Kenya, Moi University. I had to pay off tuition fee and other expenses in the amount of 65,000 shillings by October or she had to drop out. I could find no way out. After the Management knew about my situation, they decided to assist me with 50,000 shillings through Family Assistance Program & Staff Emergency Fund, which was quite a relief for me, and the managers said it's the way they appreciated my loyalty to the company. My daughter would have given up and been farming back home without the prompt financial support. The neighbors in the village could not believe that when they heard about it. Before, they always asked me what benefits this Chinese company has brought. Earlier, I would have answered "Roads" as everybody could benefit the conveniences. But right now I'd say that CRBC has remoulded the destiny of my entire family besides the roads. It allows me to be able to provide education opportunities for my children, support my father at his old age and put my wife at ease to concentrate on family matters. I know staff who have been assisted are many, we're full of gratitude because very few foreign companies care about their staff to such an extent.

My Daughter Signing the Receipt of Assistance Forms

When CCTV journalists got to know my story by chance, and came all the way to the shabby room I rented in Nairobi for a documentary shooting. They didn't understand why I had to live under this harsh condition. I explained it was the only choice I could afford due to my heavy family burden, it doesn't matter how bitter my own life was as I had to save the money for my family. At that time, house rent of several months had been defaulted and I was about to be forced to move out by the landlord. After the Deputy Project Manager Mr. Mo heard about it, he promised to solve it. So when they visited for the second time, Mr. Mo and the Chief Engineer Mr. Yu brought along 20,000 shillings to pay the overdue amount with the balance enough for several months more. They told me not to worry but concentrate on my work. I was moved to tears and didn't know how to express my appreciation properly when they handed me the cash. After they left, my landlord said he never heard of such a kind company taking the long way to visit and paying their staff rent.

CRBC and my Chinese friends have given me so much influence, lots of which is unnoticeable. When the CCTV journalists and Mr. Mo came to my hometown in Eldoret, they found so many Chinese elements in my home: my children showing great interests in Chinese snacks, mandarin ducks' patterns on the curtains, old Chinese movie star posters on the wall etc. The posters have been there for years and started fading, but I couldn't bear taking them off as they're gifts from the former Chinese colleagues of my first project with CRBC. They serve as witnesses of our friendship.

Looking back through my life, I feel so lucky the road they were constructing was just in front of my village. It led me to know CRBC and became one of their staff for 23 successive years. It's been a unique life journey. My personal story may mirror the life of many others around me.

I treasure the friendship with my Chinese colleagues so much. And as Kenya and China have been in brotherhood for long, I hope this tight relationship could be further strengthened with the two governments' joint effort, so that we have a better life.