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need to empower youths so that they can become self-sufficient, so that they can become employers and exporters and so that they can become managers of the economy, I was very excited realising how critical it is to have commitment at this very highest level to make sure that young people make it.
It is no secret that today it is almost a curse to be young. Young people seem to have everything against them. There are many of them being churned out of universities not only here in Zimbabwe but also outside the country who come home to find that all the dreams they nursed in the years they would have been studying have turned to dust. After parents have sacrificed thousands of dollars on their children’s education the worst thing is to find that same child sitting in the house day in and out with nothing to do. There are just not enough jobs. You begin to see many young people’s spirits fading away right before your eyes.
When I grew up and I am sure it is the same for those growing up today, the dream was to finish school, get a nice job, a little car and a fancy apartment. After that the dream would be to find a husband, have two children and buy a house in a nice suburb. Ask any person below 35 today whether those dreams are easily achievable. Only a lucky few have managed to achieve that dream. While our fathers in the past were almost always assured of affording to buy a house somewhere, today’s generation can not even dare to dream of that. In fact one would be lucky to have an income which allows them to rent someone’s house thereby make someone rich while the young person is getting drained.
It is for that reason that I welcome the idea of giving some of the country’s wealth to young people who have vision and drive. There are many such young people and the trick is now to identify them, young people who can not only make their own income but even employ others too. I am talking of the young person here who is not afraid to dream and dream big.
While we have Government, from President Mugabe himself supporting this drive, I urge everyone else to support it too. There are many things that stand in the way of young people. At times it seems like the world is just not ready to have young people becoming successful. Just a cursory glance will show you that in most organisations and companies, young people are juniors and will remain juniors until they are over 40. Sometimes it is almost as if even those in authority do not believe in giving room to young people. Just take a look and see how many young managers we have.
I am not talking here about giving young people positions just because they are young but because they deserve it. For sure there are many young people who are good at what they do. But how many times do you get executives and senior managers believing in young people?
Some youths tell stories of older people actually standing in the way of young people, dismissing them, not taking time to mentor them and just being plain difficult. No matter how many good ideas young people may have, it will take an environment and attitudes that believe in them to make them succeed.
I happen to be the vice chairperson on the National Aids Council Board. I remember during the initial days the Minister of Health and Child Welfare Dr Henry Madzorera telling me that he was finding it a bit awkward to relate to me. His exact words: “I am not used to vice chairpersons being this young.”
We laughed and I told him it was a new day and I deserved a chance to prove that being young is a good and not a bad thing, which he agreed to. I liked his being so upfront with me because it made me appreciate the reality that at times people have to get used to new things. It also made me feel really good about myself to have achieved a feat that is almost always left to men past the age of 55. It showed me that we have a leadership that is willing to see what the young people will do.
We know however that in some cases when young people scale heights, it can have a detrimental effect on their careers or lives. This is where you end up having no one wanting to have anything to do with you. Their excuse is that you may have developed a big head and be a difficult person. At times you have people look at you with suspicion because they believe you must have done something to get where you are. It is almost as if it is impossible for young people to be worthy of good things.
To empower young people means to empower the country. To empower young people, both male and female means Zimbabwe’s future is certain.
I urge the Minister of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment Mr Saviour Kasukuwere and his colleagues in Government to ensure that as we create wealth for young people we also create an environment in which young people can strive.
There is need for mentors at all levels to support the young people so that their dreams can turn to reality. There is still a lot that young people can learn.
Our political leaders, business executives, civil society, among others just need to support us.
When a young person identifies you as someone they would like to learn from, the worst thing one can do is to close the door on their face.
A good example is of women. Some younger females were talking the other time in a workshop about how difficult it is for older women who have done well to take time to mentor and take pride in younger women who are coming up after them. Instead they seemed to delight in seeing these young women fall as “they are too big for their small shoes.” Is that not so sad?
I truly believe in that idea of me mentoring those women younger than me. I also identify around me men and women who I call upon from time to time to learn from. There is so much to learn out there while I wait to become a wealthy youth as the mantra is.
l Beatrice Tonhodzayi-Ngondo can be contacted on [email protected]
Online Reporter