The Diploma Dilemma

A recent post by a recruitment agency based in Lusaka sparked my interest. Prosoft Solutions founded by entrepreneur and motivational speaker, Miyanda Maimbo posted the following to their facebook page

"GRADUATES - I HAVE GOOD NEWS. As part of my social responsibility through my Charity Foundation we offer to find you internship or graduate trainee positions. This service is for FREE to both the company taking you and to you."

The post continued on to specify the help to be offered and how to contact the agency. I was heartened to see such an effort to engage recent graduates into the workforce as this is not common practice in Zambia. A follow up post came soon after the agency must have been inundated with inquiries from diploma holders and out of work degree holders. The message was uncompromisingly clear; only first degree holders with NO job experience need apply.

Unemployment Conundrum

According to World Bank projection the unemployment rate in Zambia is around 15 %. Of course, this does not take into account the informal sector and there is much debate whether the perceived high unemployment is real. [See The Daily Mail article ‘Are unemployment statistics real?’]  However for recent graduates who scrapped together expensive tuition and managed to get into highly selective schools, the unemployed status is real enough.

The rest of Africa does not fare any better with a youth unemployment rate of 59.5%. Keep in mind that the youth compose just over a third of the working-age population in sub-Saharan Africa. A quick glance at the recruitment advertisements in the three major papers in Zambia shows that Bachelor’s degrees with at least three years of experience is often required for entry level positions. This does not bode well for the legions of diploma holders from one of the many institutes of higher learning in Lusaka.  Nor for a recent University of Zambia graduate trying to  break into the ranks of the working class or the ‘Ba-Some-Of-Us’ as they are called by minibus conductors.  

What can be done?                           

A solution to a societal deficiency in Zambia often starts with ‘Government must’ and while we should not hasten to excuse a government’s inefficiency, personal responsibility is key. Individual responsibility and action like that of Ms. Maimbo and her company Prosoft should be encouraged, commended and incentivized. Once we acknowledge that our problems are not easily solved by a presidential directive or legislative resolution and that we are indeed part of the solution, we can change our own small spheres of influence.

 Find out more about Prosoft Solutions and Miaynda Maimbo here. 

The Beginning

This is the story of how we begin to remember
This is the powerful pulsing of love in the vein

With the lyrics to the Paul Simon, Miriam Makeba duet looping in my mind,  I flung procrastination aside to  pen the inaugural post of a blog that I have wanted to write for so long. It is the eve of my return home to  Zambia after being gone for the greater part of the last decade. I had left to pursue that higher education that is supposed to open doors and was concerned about  not being another 'Brain Drain' statistic.  It is a typical story, I claim no exceptional honors or excuses.

Why write a blog?

It was a week  that saw the end of  50th year celebrations for the African Union and Boko Haram continued to cause havoc in Nigeria. In Zambia, members of civic organizations protesting the removal of petroleum subsidies were attacked and viciously beaten by political cadres while they met in a church. Suffice to say there are many things to despair about on the continent. Yet if given a choice, I would choose to focus on  those stories that uplift and encourage.These are the things that weigh heavy on my mind. What is the good news that can be learned from Africa and Zambia specifically? Where are the success stories and people that need to be trumpeted?  How can well-meaning individuals connect with others who are also striving to improve their sphere of influence? Where can these people meet and exchange ideas and spur positive change?

Well why not a blog?

 This is more of a test blog really,  I will post articles on positive stories that I find in Zambia and wherever else my travels may take me over the next three months. The hope is that this will be interlaced with links to resources and websites of those making a difference and perhaps I can even convince some people I look up to on writing a guest post or two.

While I am student of economics and public policy and this bias will reveal itself, this will not be a wonkish, theory-laced blog but more subjective one. Fair warning; I will be expressing my opinion from time to time and you are free to disagree. While I have given narrative to this inaugural blog my personal story will not be part of the blog.

What's in a name?

The last thing that remains to be clarified is the reason behind the URL. 'Kunachi' means daybreak in my mother tongue Luvale and the aim of the blog is to be a forum for the exchange of ideas, a place of enlightenment, where each dawn brings with it new opportunities for African success.