Youth Unemployment in Kenya
By Linda Kitum
Worth Noting:
- With the current crisis of unemployment, they youths are unsure of what life has in store for them. It is therefore not rocket science to know that due to the high cost of living that many will be laid off and left jobless.
- Where will these youths with promising futures and grades go? They have so much to offer with no place to explore their potential and yet the society does not seem to care. Despite all these the youths still wake up and fight in hope that someday everything will work out for them.
- Social media has also failed the youths, with everyone there portraying to have it all at a young age.
Most youths are not happy. They might smile and look okay but deep down they are constantly bothered by the thought of not being good enough. The society has trolled youths for not having it all when they are young. They have put high expectations and those who do not conform to their standards have been termed as failures. It is therefore not shocking to see most youths resorting to drugs since when they are high or drunk they forget about their problems, they sleep well and they feel happy.
It is so sad to see parents not asking their children if they are okay, despite everything they encounter youths are just expected to be perfect. From good grades, to good behaviour, to getting the best well-paying job among others. We all have seen how parents treat their own children after not getting good grades, some even ridicule them in front of their peers. They are not even concerned about what led to the bad performance, maybe it is the domestic violence; the children being worried if their father will beat up their mother like he did yesterday. Or the constant physical and verbal abuse hurled at them when they fail to do something right.
With the current crisis of unemployment, they youths are unsure of what life has in store for them. It is therefore not rocket science to know that due to the high cost of living that many will be laid off and left jobless. Where will these youths with promising futures and grades go? They have so much to offer with no place to explore their potential and yet the society does not seem to care. Despite all these the youths still wake up and fight in hope that someday everything will work out for them.
Social media has also failed the youths, with everyone there portraying to have it all at a young age. Everyone there seems to be having a perfect life with no bad days or no problems which is not true at all. When the youths check their social media, most of the time they see their friends living their best lives, travelling and looking happy. But in real sense these friends too have problems and are just masking it from others. If only we could showcase our struggles on our platforms maybe we would be able to understand what others are going through.
Parents therefore should check on their children on a regular basis. Just because they are grown up does not mean that they have it all figured out. Some are worried about graduating and what happens after that, some are still hurt after losing their parent; some just need guidance on their bad days. Talking to your children can help them open up about their fears and problems and this can help you as a parent to know what they are facing. Encouraging them and rewarding them when they accomplish little tasks can make them happy and see that their parents care for them. Parents should strive to be a safe haven to their children.
The youths should learn to communicate and understand that just like them, their parents have problems. Instead of drowning their sorrows in drugs they should find activities that make them happy i.e. music, working out, watching movies, singing, playing games among others. They should stop beating themselves up and realize that despite everything they are going through it will all work out eventually. It is not a must you have it all figured out in your 20s or 30s all you have to do is keep pressing on. They should also have friends that encourage them to do their best and who are there for them when the world feels like its falling apart.
The society should cut the youths some slack and understand them. They should stop judging them and embrace them for who they are. They should also create avenues for youths to reach them when battling with mental health issues. They should make sure they advocate for mental wellness among the youths and tell them that it is okay not to be imperfect. They should also hold seminars to educate the youths and show them that despite everything they encounter they will be fine.
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