• Vacation drama shows the need to empower youth economically to tame affairs
Going on vacation in January can be an interesting experience. For one, the buzz of the festive season has died down, with many getting back to their daily pursuits. Which in turn means fewer people visit holiday destinations. The cost of traveling or visiting places is also generally much lower, as fewer people are traveling.
I embarked on a trip to one of the coastal towns this January, where we were treated to a melodramatic scene. A certain woman, let's call her Lily, has a boyfriend whom she deeply loves, or at least she claims so. At the same time, she has a sponsor who takes care of the flashy lifestyle she lives. She, however, doesn't spend the money alone. She spends it on her boyfriend, too. For instance, it was alleged that she paid his house rent.
During our excursion at the Coast, we resided at the same place with Lily’s group. As we would later find out, on one of those days, she called her sponsor and lied that she had been caught in possession of drugs. He sent her around Sh70,000, which they used to hold a party. On Friday evening, the resort was filled with the chaos of their party. But things would get even more chaotic at midnight.
Lily’s boyfriend got drunk and blacked out. She took advantage of the golden opportunity to snoop through his phone. Sure enough, she found what she was looking for. Her boyfriend had been having an affair with her best friend, who was with them at the party. It was at that moment that hell broke loose.
The party came to an unceremonious end. A fight erupted between Lily and her best friend. And that was when the secrets were all spilled. Enraged by these occurrences, Lily paid her bills and checked out of the hotel. She canceled the flights she had booked for her best friend and boyfriend and rescheduled hers to Saturday at 4am. Her friends were left stranded as they depended on her to pay for most expenses.
This incident raises lots of queries. From her ruthless actions, one can tell that Lily was profoundly hurt by the realisation that her boyfriend was cheating on her, never mind that she was doing the same. Her determination to give him a good life, evident in how she spent money on him, shows how she cared. One might ask if Lily could raise money for her expenses through her work, would she be in an affair with a sponsor? Perhaps not.
Many young people try to find opportunities to get some income without much success, which drives some into the sponsor culture. Contentment remains a virtue that can do good to many if they possess it. For instance, if Lily didn't have that affair going on, they probably wouldn't afford that lavish lifestyle. But they probably would be happy with whatever they had, if they chose to appreciate it.
That notwithstanding, those who contract young people to do jobs for them should give them a good income that can sustain a decent lifestyle. Policy makers should also establish a favourable environment for self-employment. Of course, the culture of having affairs for money may not end in that, but it will go a long way in controlling it.
Gwen Guthrie, a renowned musician said, “There’s no romance without finance.” Youth empowerment is the way to go.