KECTIL QUOTE OF THE DAY
To deny a man a job is to say that a man has no right to exist.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Unemployment and under-employment are serious problems facing youth in developing countries. Some youth don’t have practical training and others have a college education but no employer. Many youth are willing to work hard and want to be trained.
As future leaders, it is important to consider how to break the cycle of unemployment and under-employment, which can lead people to a bucket of potential negative future paths, including family discord, inability to care for children, criminal activity, hunger, abuse of women, societal anger, hopelessness, drugs and violence, among other problems. Does tribal or ethnic discrimination play a role? How about corruption and favoritism?
Does the country or community owe youth a job or is it the responsibility of the youth to individually create a path for a successful future? It is a complex situation. The ability to get a job is also dependent on the industrial environment and economic growth of the country. If the country is not progressing, youth can face a dim future, which results in a cost and damage to society
These are big multifaceted questions we will tackle over the course of the year. It is good to at least introduce the discussion. What is the job climate in your country? What issues cause a lack of employment? As a potential leader what would you do to improve job prospects for youth? What will you do to contribute to change?
We attach an interesting article from the Kenyan Standard with one youth’s story. What will your story be?