Celestin Alexis Nono teaches a student to write Chinese on her notebook in Yaounde, capital of Cameroon, April 11, 2025. (Xinhua/Kepseu)

by Arison Tamfu

YAOUNDE, April 20 (Xinhua) -- On the busy streets of Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon, there is a rapidly growing interest in learning the Chinese language.

In a bustling classroom at the Nocea International Institute of Languages, an entry-level Mandarin (standard Chinese language) course is underway.

"How are you? What is your name?" a teacher said in Chinese, repeating and using body language to make it easier for his students to understand.

Fascinated by Asian cultures, Celestin Alexis Nono, founder of the language center, began his journey to learn Mandarin in 2007 by enrolling in classes at the Confucius Institute at the University of Yaounde II.

"I have had a love for Chinese culture since I was little. I was part of the first batch of the Confucius Institute in 2007," the 45-year-old told Xinhua. Nono graduated from the institute and went to China for further study.

Completing a Chinese language course opened up a wealth of opportunities for him.

Nono could have pursued a career as an interpreter or explored various fields beyond language, but he chose to teach Chinese to Cameroonians and founded the Nocea International Institute of Languages for that purpose.

"China is now the world power in terms of development, and cooperation with China is becoming increasingly important. Therefore, as Cameroonians, we must strive to better benefit from the fruits of Sino-Cameroonian relations. This is what sparked the desire to teach Chinese language and culture," Nono said.

"We want our students to be able to learn the language according to international standards. This means that by the end of the training, students will be able to speak, listen, write, and read Chinese characters well," he added.

When the language center went operational in 2016, Nono was impressed because it attracted people from all walks of life, reflecting the growing number of Cameroonians interested in learning the Chinese language.

"It's no longer necessary to demonstrate that Cameroonians love the Chinese language," Nono said. "Mastering the language is becoming a necessary condition for greater success on a socio-economic and even strategic level."

He has also founded Sino-Africa Cultures, a non-governmental organization that encompasses the diverse ways China and Africa interact on a cultural level, including language, academic, and artistic groups, as well as non-governmental cultural initiatives.

A flagship program of the Sino-Africa Cultures is the Chinese Awakening Program.

"In this program, which is the educational model in China, we have practical Chinese classes and seminars that help students understand and better appreciate their dream careers. We also have kung fu classes and field trips to Chinese companies," Nono said.

He said learning the Chinese language has provided his students with a smooth career path as more Chinese firms operating in Cameroon are looking for translators while the Confucius Institute also needs more Mandarin teachers.

As the world celebrates Chinese Language Day on Sunday, Nono expressed hope that his contribution will further strengthen the relationship between Africa and China.

"We must go through the culture, through the language, to better understand China," he added. ■

Celestin Alexis Nono (back) teaches his students Chinese in Yaounde, capital of Cameroon, April 11, 2025. (Xinhua/Kepseu)

Celestin Alexis Nono writes Chinese words on the board to teach his students in Yaounde, capital of Cameroon, April 11, 2025. (Xinhua/Kepseu)