Thanks to Chinese investment, Kenya's first modern railway has been operating for just over a year now - linking two major cities. CGTN reporter He Weiwei met with a young Kenyan who hopes to become one of the country's first female train drivers.

CONCILIA OWIRE ASSISTANT LOCOMOTIVE DRIVER, KENYA RAILWAYS CORP. "My name is Concilia Owire. My major is electrical engineering. I'm from Nairobi. Right now I'm training as a locomotive driver. I want to be among the first people (drivers). I'm so much into something that women are not into. Like in Africa, not so many people are into engineering. So I thought it was a good opportunity for me to try and venture into this new technology. Because I realize that these trains, this is the first technology in Kenya. We have never had this kind of trains in Kenya."

The train that makes Concilia so proud, is running on a Chinese built railway from Kenya's port city of Mombasa to the capital Nairobi. Replacing old railways and trains, the new ones shortened the journey from 12 hours to just four, and cut logistical costs by 40%. Opening in June of 2017, the trains are operated by Chinese drivers, who are now training the first batch of 80 Kenyan drivers. Concilia is one of very few girls among them.

CONCILIA OWIRE ASSISTANT LOCOMOTIVE DRIVER, KENYA RAILWAYS CORP. "I went to China in 2017, Baoji(city). That was the first time I drove a train. I think it was a good feeling for me just to drive the train, especially when I'm in China, when I'm not in Kenya."

After three months of studying in China, Concilia returned to Kenya. Meanwhile, China is working on extending the railway route, from Nairobi to Malaba, a town along Kenya's western border with Uganda."

AN AIJUN CHIEF ENGINEER, STANDARD GAUGE RAILWAY "The Nairobi-Malaba railway aims to increase the transport capacity of the existing route and make the ride more convenient. It's also an important part of a railway network in east Africa."

For Concilia, it will take some more time before she can finally drive a train on this route, but she's determined.

CONCILIA OWIRE ASSISTANT LOCOMOTIVE DRIVER, KENYA RAILWAYS CORP. "So far, I've just been training for two years. I understand in China it takes more years, can take five years. I know I have quite a long journey. And I like the challenge, I want to show the men that ladies can also venture."

He Weiwei, CGTN, Nairobi, Kenya.