By Rajab Salim

Former Youth Advisory Group (YAG) Chairman
Global Opportunity Youth Network (GOYN) Mombasa

While attending a seminar in China, one statement keeps appearing in conversations, presentations, and discussions: “If you want to be prosperous, first build a road.” It is a phrase that people here repeat often, almost as a guiding philosophy for development. At first, it sounds like a simple infrastructure principle. But as I continue to hear it and reflect on it during my time here, I am realizing that it represents something much deeper than simply constructing roads.

In China, development thinking is strongly anchored in infrastructure. Roads are not viewed merely as physical structures made of asphalt and concrete; they are seen as lifelines that connect communities to opportunity. A road connects villages to cities, farmers to markets, students to schools, and communities to essential services. Without a road, an area remains isolated, cut off from economic activity, knowledge exchange, and social interaction.

Many of the speakers and participants in this seminar emphasize that when a community does not have a road, it is essentially disconnected from the outside world. And when a place is disconnected, it becomes extremely difficult for people to market their products, build relationships, or learn from others. Goods cannot move easily, services cannot reach people efficiently, and ideas struggle to travel beyond local boundaries.

As I listen to these discussions, the logic becomes very clear. Imagine a rural area with fertile land, skilled people, and valuable local products. If there is no reliable road linking that community to nearby towns or cities, transporting goods becomes expensive and time-consuming. Traders may hesitate to travel there, investors may overlook the region, and opportunities remain limited. However, once a road is built, everything begins to change. Movement becomes easier, markets become accessible, and economic potential begins to unfold.

This thinking helps explain why infrastructure plays such a central role in China's development strategy. Over the years, the country has invested heavily in highways, railways, and rural road networks. These investments are not just about transportation; they are about integration. Roads are connecting regions that were once remote and bringing them into wider economic systems. As a result, communities are gaining access to trade, technology, education, and new opportunities.

But as I continue to reflect on this idea while being here, I am also noticing that the phrase “build a road first” can be understood as more than a physical development strategy. It can also serve as a metaphor for how prosperity works in life.

Just as communities need roads to connect with the outside world, individuals need connections to grow and succeed. Isolation limits possibilities. When people remain disconnected from others, they miss out on opportunities to learn, collaborate, and expand their perspectives. In contrast, connection opens doors.

In many ways, building relationships is similar to building roads. Both require intention, effort, and patience. A road does not appear overnight; it requires planning, investment, and commitment. Similarly, meaningful networks and partnerships develop over time. But once these connections exist, they allow knowledge, opportunities, and support to flow.

As I sit in sessions and interact with participants from different places, I am constantly reminded of how powerful these connections can be. When people share experiences and ideas, they begin learning from one another. They start discovering new approaches to challenges and new ways of thinking about development.

This is especially relevant in today's interconnected world. While physical roads remain essential, there are also other forms of “roads” that connect people. Professional networks, digital platforms, academic exchanges, and international seminars like the one I am currently attending, are all creating pathways for knowledge and collaboration.

These connections allow people from different countries and sectors to learn from each other's experiences. They make it possible to exchange solutions, adapt successful models, and build partnerships that extend beyond geographical boundaries.

As I reflect on this philosophy while being in China, I am realizing that prosperity rarely happens in isolation. Whether we are thinking about communities, organizations, or individuals, growth often depends on the ability to connect with others.

In practical terms, “building roads” in life might mean expanding our networks, seeking mentorship, engaging with diverse communities, or creating platforms where knowledge can be shared. It might also mean stepping outside of familiar spaces and engaging with people who bring different perspectives and experiences.

Another important dimension of this philosophy is inclusion. If roads are the pathways to opportunity, then ensuring that everyone has access to them becomes essential. Communities that remain disconnected whether physically, socially, or digitally, risk being left behind. Development therefore requires intentional efforts to extend these pathways so that more people can participate in economic and social progress.

Being here in China and hearing this phrase repeatedly is encouraging me to think about development and connection in a broader way. A road may begin as a physical structure, but its impact goes far beyond transportation. It represents access, mobility, exchange, and opportunity.

Ultimately, the idea that “if you want to be prosperous, first build a road” is reminding me that prosperity is rarely accidental. It is created by building pathways, both literal and metaphorical, that connect people to each other and to the wider world.

And as I continue to participate in this seminar, I am seeing more clearly that sometimes the most important step toward progress is simply creating the road that allows opportunity to travel.

Paths to prosperity: reflections from China

By Rajab Salim

Former Youth Advisory Group (YAG) Chairman
Global Opportunity Youth Network (GOYN) Mombasa

While attending a seminar in China, one statement keeps popping up in conversations, presentations, and debates: “If you want to prosper, first build a road.” It’s a phrase people here often repeat, almost like a guiding philosophy for development. At first, it sounds like a simple infrastructure principle. But as I continue to hear it and reflect on it during my time here, I realize it represents something much deeper than simply building roads.

In China, development thinking is deeply rooted in infrastructure. Roads are not merely physical structures made of asphalt and concrete; they are seen as lifelines connecting communities to opportunities. A road links villages to cities, farmers to markets, students to schools, and communities to essential services. Without a road, an area remains isolated, cut off from economic activity, knowledge exchange, and social interaction.

Many of the speakers and participants at this seminar emphasize that when a community lacks a road, it is essentially disconnected from the outside world. And when a place is disconnected, it becomes extremely difficult for people to market their products, build relationships, or learn from others. Goods cannot move easily, services cannot be delivered efficiently, and ideas struggle to travel beyond local boundaries.

As I listen to these discussions, the logic becomes very clear. Imagine a rural area with fertile land, skilled people, and valuable local products. If there isn't a reliable road connecting that community to nearby towns or cities, transporting goods becomes expensive and time-consuming. Traders may hesitate to travel there, investors may overlook the region, and opportunities remain limited. However, once a road is built, everything begins to change. Movement becomes easier, markets become accessible, and economic potential begins to unfold.

This way of thinking helps explain why infrastructure plays such a central role in China's development strategy. Over the years, the country has invested heavily in highways, railways, and rural road networks. These investments are not just about transportation; they are about integration. Roads are connecting formerly remote regions and integrating them into broader economic systems. As a result, communities are gaining access to trade, technology, education, and new opportunities.

But as I continue to reflect on this idea during my time here, I also notice that the phrase “first build a path” can be understood as more than just a physical development strategy. It can also function as a metaphor for how prosperity works in life.

Just as communities need pathways to connect with the outside world, individuals need connections to grow and thrive. Isolation limits possibilities. When people remain disconnected from others, they miss opportunities to learn, collaborate, and broaden their perspectives. In contrast, connection opens doors.

In many ways, building relationships is similar to building roads. Both require intention, effort, and patience. A road doesn't appear overnight; it requires planning, investment, and commitment. Similarly, meaningful networks and alliances develop over time. But once these connections exist, they allow knowledge, opportunities, and support to flow.

As I participate in the sessions and interact with participants from different places, I am constantly reminded of how powerful these connections can be. When people share experiences and ideas, they begin to learn from one another. They start to discover new approaches to addressing challenges and new ways of thinking about development.

This is especially relevant in today's interconnected world. While physical routes remain essential, other forms of "pathways" connect people. Professional networks, digital platforms, academic exchanges, and international seminars like the one I'm currently attending are creating pathways for knowledge and collaboration.

These connections allow people from different countries and sectors to learn from each other's experiences. They make it possible to exchange solutions, adapt successful models, and build alliances that transcend geographical borders.

Reflecting on this philosophy while in China, I realize that prosperity rarely occurs in isolation. Whether we think of communities, organizations, or individuals, growth often depends on the ability to connect with others.

In practical terms, “building pathways” in life can mean expanding our networks, seeking mentorship, engaging with diverse communities, or creating platforms where knowledge can be shared. It can also involve stepping outside of familiar spaces and connecting with people who bring different perspectives and experiences.

Another important dimension of this philosophy is inclusion. If pathways are the routes to opportunity, then ensuring everyone has access to them becomes essential. Communities that remain disconnected—whether physically, socially, or digitally—risk being left behind. Therefore, development requires intentional efforts to extend these pathways so that more people can participate in economic and social progress.

Being here in China and hearing this phrase repeatedly is motivating me to think about development and connectivity in a broader way. A road may begin as a physical structure, but its impact goes far beyond transportation. It represents access, mobility, exchange, and opportunity.

Ultimately, the idea that “if you want to be prosperous, first build a path” reminds me that prosperity is rarely accidental. It is created by building paths—both literal and metaphorical—that connect people to one another and to the wider world.

And as I continue to participate in this seminar, I see more clearly that sometimes the most important step toward progress is simply creating the path that allows opportunities to circulate.