Feature: African youth embrace media, storytelling as bridges shaping Africa-China dreams

The Star

16-05-2025

by Xinhua writers Habtamu Worku, Liu Fangqiang
ADDIS ABABA, May 16 (Xinhua) -- Kiwalabye Timothy, a Ugandan farmer and digital content creator, never imagined his humble posts about soil and seeds would ripple across the world.
Sharing his creative journey before Ethiopia's media leaders in the capital Addis Ababa, he credited the China-Africa collaborative spirit for transforming his life path.
Just months earlier, Timothy was at a crossroads. A failed agricultural project left him adrift.
Then, he discovered RedNote, one of China's largest social media platforms.
As someone who works in agriculture, Timothy began sharing snippets of his daily farm life, from preparing his farmland to innovations in sustainable farming.
The response stunned him. Strangers from all corners of the world cheered for his work.
"What I had found was more than just a special platform," he said. "It was a space of healing, creativity, and hope."
One post, titled "Hello from Africa," captured the platform's ethos of fostering connections.
Weeks later, RedNote surprised Timothy by featuring a photo of him in an ad at New York's Times Square, symbolizing Africa's digital voice.
"It was overwhelming. I never imagined that a single post taken from my own story would be displayed in the heart of the global stage," he said.
"RedNote gave me more than just a platform. It gave me purpose, exposure, a sense of belonging. It helped me see the value in my everyday life and turn it into something worth sharing with the world," Timothy said. "It opened up access to global conversations, new friendships, fresh ideas, and life-changing opportunities."
His real turning point, Timothy said, came shortly after, when he was invited to the Spring Creators Fest in Chengdu, southwestern China, where he marveled at AI-generated videos, robotic cameras, and real-time translation tools.
"I saw how tech could revolutionize farming storytelling," he said, after meeting Chinese urban farmers growing vertical gardens in apartments, a revelation he later shared with African youth through his videos.
Commending China's continued investments in Africa through the sharing of innovations, cultural exchanges, and building lasting friendships, Timothy said his journey reflects the power of media and storytelling in deepening Africa-China cooperation and fostering people-to-people relations.
"Let us continue to build bridges. Let us keep sharing and growing together," he said. "When we do so, despite our differences in location, culture, or language, we are all just humans with dreams worth telling and stories worth sharing."
Demeke Firehiwot, a young Ethiopian media professional, has had a transformative experience similar to Timothy's. His path, too, had been reshaped by China.
Recalling his upbringing in a family that revered education, Firehiwot attributed his passion for media and storytelling to a life-changing stint at China's Three Gorges University through a scholarship.
Firehiwot was awed by the shared values he found in China. From conversations with street vendors and professors alike, he witnessed a mutual hunger for understanding.
Now a program manager and director at African Renaissance Television Services (ARTS TV), one of Ethiopia's leading private media institutions, Firehiwot champions Ethiopia-China co-productions.
"China did more than just educate me. It offered me perspective, purpose, and most importantly, a mirror reflecting the potential within Ethiopia. I believe media is one of the world's most powerful platforms that allow us to share stories and connect nations. I am committed to carrying that life track forward with hope, humility and action," he said.
Highlighting the power of media and storytelling in bringing cultures closer, he said that cultural and people-to-people exchanges are further deepening wider Ethiopia-China relations.
"We are witnessing an increasing interest in Chinese films and drama within Ethiopia. These stories travel across language, age, and background, resonating deeply with audiences because they speak a universal truth of family, sacrifice, ambition and resilience," Firehiwot said.
"We are excited about what lies ahead," he said. "Let us invest in joint production labs, co-development platforms, fellowships in film and broadcast journalism, and scholarships that nurture storytellers."
As part of the rapidly evolving China-Africa media partnership, a new initiative dubbed "China Hour" was recently launched in Ethiopia, featuring a curated selection of Chinese TV series, animations, documentaries, and other Chinese audiovisual content, which are to be broadcast across several Ethiopian media outlets, including the national broadcaster.
Addressing the launching event on Wednesday, Ethiopian Minister of Government Communication Service Legesse Tulu, a Peking University alumnus, reflected on his personal transformative experience that "shaped both my worldview and my appreciation of Chinese society, culture, and values."
"It was in Beijing that I witnessed firsthand the strength of China's media institutions, the discipline of its public communication strategies, and the power of storytelling as a bridge between nations," Tulu said.
Citing a Chinese saying, "he who learns from others becomes wise," the minister said that "Ethiopia stands ready to learn (from China) and also to share in the spirit of mutual respect and partnership."
During the launching event, officials from the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC) reaffirmed the national broadcaster's commitment to collaborating with Chinese counterparts to leverage the power of media in shaping the ever-interconnected world and fostering closer ties between the people of the two countries.
"For China and Ethiopia, two countries with rich history and vibrant cultures, the media has both a unique responsibility and an incredible opportunity to deepen our relationship and promote mutual respect," said Zelalem Endashaw, an official at the EBC.