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Promote self-employment to end youth despair

The issues impinging on young people insurmountable, cannot be wished away.

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by TIMOTHY MWIRICHIA

Star-blogs07 January 2024 - 15:02
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In Summary


  • Many have become restless and depressed, to the extent of taking away their precious lives.
  • This is due to the immense pressure that comes from societal and personal obligations.

The unemployment situation in Kenya is dire. Too many Kenyans are struggling to make ends meet. Thousands of ambitious youth graduating from institutions of higher learning are confronted with the sad realities and hopelessness of the ever-shrinking job market.

Many have become restless and depressed, to the extent of taking away their precious lives. This is due to the immense pressure that comes from societal and personal obligations.

Appearing for a graduation ceremony last year Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua urged graduates to seek ways of becoming their own bosses as white-collar employment was no longer tenable.

True to that, the issues impinging on young people are seemingly insurmountable and cannot be wished away. There is need for a paradigm shift on their side and concerted efforts by all and sundry to end youth poverty and depression.

First, our leaders must be pro-people servants with a laser focus on helping to create jobs and business opportunities by boosting the economy. 

The relevant authorities must rid the country of corruption that is eating our institutions to the core, destroying the soul of our country. Many initiatives geared towards youth promotion are hijacked by merciless corrupt officials who have an unbridled appetite for siphoning from public coffers.

The government should reconsider its tax offensive stand and seek ways to boost small and medium-sized enterprises to be a boon for the youth. This can be realised by giving young people tax holidays and incentivising them to start businesses.

The youth must also move on from the traditional mentality of over-reliance on white-collar jobs and aim to create jobs and be economy drivers. One must take initiative. It is said that the sun will shine on those who stand before shining on those who kneel under them.

The richest men the world over such as Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates, to mention but a few, are all creative entrepreneurs.

In the modern world, many opportunities exist that many a youth can leverage to earn a living. Blogs, freelance writing, YouTube, podcasts, and online tutoring are some of the avenues to exploit on the internet. Social media offers endless possibilities.

Other startups such as modern beauty salons, photography, grocery and baking, among others, can keep one productively engaged, farming is touted as the source of the next crop of millionaires and the youth must embrace agribusiness as a sure way to fortunes. One needs to assess his passions, skills, and talents and commercialise them.

 As the world experiences unprecedented changes brought about by technology everyone must seek ways to adapt to the new norm to not only survive but thrive by living his dreams.

High school teacher and author

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