It's a principle his eager young pupils are keen to follow.

"He teaches us to be a man of integrity, hardworking and respectful. If you have a problem with your friend, you have to keep cool and take a step back," said student Emmanuel Ze.

In 2017, Fabrice published a collection of poems, entitled Breach in a Stone Wall. The poems reflect on his years of hardship and express gratitude towards China for helping him through those difficult days.

"I come with a story, which is more and more similar to that of a million Africans, to whom China opens its doors, to whom China changes (their) destiny," he wrote in the anthology.

Now Fabrice is trying to help others change their destiny too. He is currently preparing a program which will offer free training in physiotherapy to disadvantaged youngsters.

The program is called "Lotus and Water Lily", because "these are the only flowers able to grow in a polluted environment and succeed in producing white flowers," Fabrice explained.

"I was a street kid, destined to be a bandit or a robber, but I discovered kung fu which teaches me to become a man of moral excellence even if I had no money," he added.

"All these children who are in difficulty like I once was, who are destined for a bad life, can become lotuses and water lilies if they are given the opportunities."