Awarding of the Gaïus Prize by the Francophone Network in Kenya. 24th July 2021 [fr]
La Francophonie is first and foremost about women and men who share a common language, French. French is important to open up to the world. It also means belonging to a strong and positive French-speaking culture. French was the language chosen by Gaius Omulama, whose memory will be commemorated and safeguarded by this prize, generously offered by FNK this year. This award will be given annually and a fundraising campaign will be set up for its sustainability by FNK’s new French Resource Centre Officer, Ms Solène Fournier.
The francophone community in Kenya has been in deep sorrow since last November when we learned of the brutal loss of Gaius Omulama in a road accident in Kenya.
As a young and dynamic student at the MMUST university, Gaius had been head of the French club in his high school and vice-president of this club at the university. He was a kind, creative and athletic young man. Gaius excelled so much in his studies that he was selected in 2019 to be part of the first cohort of Kenyan students recruited to teach English to French students. He left an indelible memory of the high school where he served in the beautiful city of Toulouse. He was able to adapt to the health crisis that hit the world while he was far from home. His professional and personal ambitions were high, and his optimism won everyone over.
Gaius also made a remarkable commitment to the NGO Francophone Network in Kenya (FNK) where he was a much appreciated teacher. Gaius inspired all the young people of FNK by his mastery of the French language, that he began learning as a student at Mwihila High School in Kakamega County.
Recently, he successfully completed a training course subsidized by the French Embassy in Kenya, at the Cavilam lnstitute and obtained his B1 diploma. Highly appreciated by his pedagogical team but also by the Kenyan students in French classes with the NGO FNK and by the French students in French classes in France, Gaius was reliable and invested.
His enthusiastic curiosity will be missed by all, which is why this annual Gaïus Prize was created to give those who share his passion for French the chance to follow in his footsteps to success;
French will hopefully enable them to improve their skills in different areas, and that was what Gaïus was pushing for. This skill will give them the opportunity to travel, the possibility to study in French and maybe even to study and work in France. It will also open other doors, such as the possibility of working in other French-speaking countries, in Africa in particular or with large French-speaking companies. Finally, French is a gateway to large employing bodies such as the UN. Gaius had planned to continue his young career with a UN agency, when his course was abruptly interrupted.
The eventual winner, Sam Kioko, was offered an immersion trip to France, following in the footsteps of his friend Gaius. The Service de Coopération et d’Action Culturelle wishes him a great experience, to make the most of his stay, to improve his French and to succeed in what he is doing in the footsteps of his friend Gaius.
