A winner of the 10th Africa Tech Challenge (ATC) Season waves at the competition’s closing ceremony held in Nairobi, Kenya, on September 1, 2025. Photo: IC

 
At the CNC (computer numerical control) lathe processing competition area, the distinctive metallic scent of cutting fluid subtly permeates the air. Contestants focus intently on their machines, their fingers deftly navigating the control panels as they program, align tools, and conduct test cuts in a seamless flow of actions.

This was the tense yet orderly scene judges observed during the finals of this year's 10th Africa Tech Challenge (ATC) Season. Co-hosted by the Chinese firm AVIC INNO (AVIC Corporation Innovation Holding Limited), Kenya's Ministry of Education, and the China Education Association for International Exchange, ATC has evolved over a decade into a vital platform for African youth pursuing their dreams.

It hasattractednearly 2,000 participants from 14 African countries so far, including Kenya, Zambia, Uganda, Egypt, and Cote d'Ivoire. Young people from a number of nations gathered at this event, carrying their passion for skilled labor, and their aspirations for the future to exchange techniques and spark ideas.

Since its inception, ATC has been dedicated to enhancing the employ ability of African youth, systematically cultivating skilled talent that meets the needs of Africa's industrialization and economic development, according to the ATC organizers.

'Teach them how to fish'

There is an old Chinese saying: "To give people fish and you only provide them with one meal; to teach them how to fish and they can benefit throughout their lives." This means that instead of providing direct material or short-term aid, the more valuable assistance comes from imparting knowledge, skills, and methods, enabling beneficiaries to solve problems and create value independently for long-term development.

Many cooperative projects between China and Africa are based on this "teaching [people] to fish" philosophy, with ATC serving as a prime example.

During operating TVET (Technical and vocational education and training) programs in Africa , we found that African countries, on one hand, are in urgent need of development and thus have a pressing demand for talents with both knowledge and skills; on the other hand, young people there generally lack employable skills, leading to persistently high unemployment rates, said Shi Yue, manager of vocational education department of AVIC INNO Project Engineering company.

Enhancing the employ ability of young people has become a topic of widespread concern among governments of African countries, Shi added.

Therefore, "based on in-depth research into local needs, our overseas team proposed the concept of 'ATC' when exploring public welfare cooperation models in Africa," Shi told the Global Times. "We aim to help more African young people acquire practical skills, and ultimately achieve the goal of promoting education through competitions."

Over the past decade, as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has deepened its reach across the Africa, the company has established or upgraded more than 180 TVET schools in various African countries, providing professional training for over 20,000 teachers and students each year. Drawing on years of rich experience in TVET sector, ATC has developed a model of "training, competition, study in China." Each season of the competition has become a platform for deeply exploring and fully unleashing the skill potential of African youth.

ATC has benefited many African youths. To date the competition has involved 1,933 participants, with 51 teams collectively earning 249 awards. Additionally, 30 participants have received opportunities to fly to China, making the dream of "Study in China" a reality, according to the competition organizers.

Illuminating the future

There are many African youths who have gained more learning and development opportunities, and even transformed their destinies through ATC.

Newton Milimu from Kenya, for instance, participated in the Fifth Season of ATC in 2018. To this day, he recalls that the competition boosted his confidence in his technical abilities, and allowed him to forge valuable connections with instructors and fellow contestants. "After all these years, I still vividly remember the intense focus and atmosphere of the competition," Milimu shared with the Global Times. "But once the timer of the competition stopped, everything changed; we were no longer competitors but partners, laughing, sharing, and learning from each other."

Thanks to his outstanding performance in the competition, Milimu was later offered a job opportunity with AVIC's vocational education and training project in Kenya, becoming an assistant engineer in the mechanical engineering department.

"Whatever kind of industrial skills Africa needs, we will train the corresponding talents," said the ATC organizers. They added that since the first ATC was officially launched in Kenya in 2014, they have held the belief that using the spark of education to illuminate the path forward for African youth is essential. From focusing on mechanical processing in the first season of the competition, to incorporating mobile application development, and gradually expanding to CNC machining, mechatronics, mechanical engineering CAD (computer-aided design), ATC's development track has always aligned with the pulse of Africa's industrial growth.

"This truly achieved a seamless connection between skills and employment, allowing participants to support their families and contribute to Kenya's economic development," said Shi.

Shared development

The values of friendship and justice, which defines China-Africa relations, require us to facilitate Africa's development endeavor with China's development and ultimately deliver win-win progress and shared development through mutually beneficial cooperation, Chinese President Xi Jinping remarked in a speech he delivered at the opening ceremony of the Johannesburg Summit of FOCAC in December 2015.

In Africa, many infrastructure projects constructed or funded by Chinese enterprises are improving the lives of the people there. The completion of the light rail transit in Egypt's 10th of Ramadan City has greatly improved local transportation, facilitating travel for the public.

Meanwhile, the opening of Angola's Dr. Antonio Agostinho Neto International Airport has injected new vitality into local aviation development, strengthening Angola's connections with the world. The upgrade of Mozambique's Xai-Xai Chongoene Airport has enhanced local air transport capacity, providing strong support for regional economic development. The establishment of the Bobo-Dioulasso Hospital in Burkina Faso has provided higher-quality medical services to local residents, alleviating difficulties in accessing healthcare. The completion of the Mongu-Tabo Road project in Zambia has opened vital transportation routes, promoting economic exchange and cooperation between regions.

The organizers of ATC believe that, this competition serves as a bridge of skills, connecting the dreams and futures of many African youth while also fostering grassroots friendship between China and Africa. "This is a vivid practice of [implementing] the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind," they said.