I vividly remember growing up, we used to say, "When I grow up, I want to be..." But now that I am grown, educated, and skilled, I find myself at a crossroads, unsure of what more to say.
The dreams I nurtured as a child feel distant because, despite all the preparation, the world hasn't opened the doors I once believed would swing wide for me.
Many of us placed our hopes in education, believing it was the golden key to a better future. But in today's world, where connections and networks have become the true gateways to opportunity, education often feels like an afterthought on the "making it" list.
"It is not what you know, but who you know." - Anonymous
It's disheartening. If Generation Z is struggling under these circumstances, what lies ahead for Gen Alpha and the GenNext? How do we inspire the young when our own faith in the system is crumbling?
My mother once shared a story from her youth. At 18, while waiting for her A-Level Cambridge results, she secured an apprenticeship at a bank.
Later, she went to college to earn a secretarial certification for a job she was already doing. By the time she retired 21 years later, she felt fulfilled, having lived her best professional life.
But look at us now. In Uganda alone, over 78% of the population is under 30 years old--a growing, youthful demographic either still in school or desperately seeking employment.
Yet, not everyone is cut out to be an entrepreneur. Some of us crave the structure and stability that comes with employment. But even that seems to be slipping away as older generations face retrenchment and opportunities dwindle.
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According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), the current employment rate in Uganda is around 47.8%. This means that roughly 47.8% of the working-age population in Uganda is currently employed.
The reality is, the dependent population cannot be carried on the shoulders of the employed, many of whom are self-employed and barely making ends meet.
We once turned to NGOs for volunteer work, knowing the stipends would at least cover food, shelter, and maybe even a bit of savings.
It wasn't much, but it was something. Now, with foreign aid freezes like the USAID pause, many NGOs are struggling to stay afloat.
Expired contracts can't be renewed, and our futures feel increasingly tethered to the unpredictable tides of international funding.
The future feels bleak in the face of rampant corruption and the widening gap between the rich and the poor across many African nations.
Opportunities for the youth are drying up, much like the parched sands of the Sahara. And so, we ask again with urgency and a flicker of hope--where are we going as African youth?
Yet, amidst all this, there are stories of resilience. We do have young people who started from the ground up, like Khaby Lame, who represents perhaps 2% of those who wake up and try every day. His success is a beacon of hope, but it also highlights the rarity of such stories.
e whole African region is in turmoil--riots erupting, daily social media posts in protest, and some who have given up, turning to drugs or, tragically, taking their own lives.
I, too, don't know where I am headed. And so, I leave you with this to ponder: Where are we going as African youth?
