ZAMBIAN YOUTH AND TRAITS!
I was listening to a study this week about the rate of HIV/AIDS and who is most likely to be infected with it, between the boys and the girls. Apparently it is a no-brainier, it is the young girls and the reason has been attributed to SUGAR DADDIES!! (okay!)
Let me take you back a little bit, at 11 years old, I walking home with my cousin, laughing and singing and laughing again, (really just being 11 year olds...) this MAN pulls up in his car and smiles at us, I quickly remember him from my father's workplace and I assumed he recognised me because well, I am my father's child and he had met me with my father at one point (not that he should have taken note). So anyway, he smiles at us and I smile back about to address him by his name, he quickly says "ah so u girls like to dance huh? (with that old-man ogle) I have music in my car, come in and dance" ............long pause........... needless to say I am still traumatized to-date!! its been over 10 years and I still remember his smirk. (And for those wondering, NO, we did not go and dance in his car, we RAN!!!! got home and told my mother the story)
That traumatic experience aside. Today, young girls are literally parading themselves in the streets ( and no I am not talking prostitution) dressed like twenty something year olds trying to attract earth-knows-what! This always happens to me, young girls/ladies literally begin to strut when they see a car approaching to catch the attention of the driver hoping it is a man.... I think to myself, and if I was a man?(a married man) what then do they expect? would I drive slow? stare at her behind, wink at her, talk "down" to her (because thats what that is - talking down) and finally convince (like she did not plan it) her to get in my car and then what?? sex and money is exchanged or we form a long term relationship, I promise to leave my wife ( follow me here, I am still a man in my imagination) and oh wait, I buy her a car, pay for her apartment, and if I am lucky I wont have to buy her 'hair' because almost everyone is going natural..... etc etc...
BE SMART
Look, I am not here to name and/or shame any of the girls doing it big in the city of Lusaka, (kuddos to you) or anyone for that matter, I would just like to know WHY? what is the root-cause of all this foolery?? is it the "love of things?" or trying to "fit in"? with other girls that can seemingly 'afford' these things? Again, I am not a judge of anyone but if the rate of HIV/AIDS could reduce, that would help a Nation, OUR Nation, so lets talk about the real issues. It seems a lot of people have either forgotten or put to rest (in their mind) that this pandemic is REAL!! as real as it has always been. The fact that modern medicine is proven to now suppress the effects of the disease does not give any one a licence to either sleep around (unsafe) or to ruin another's life with full knowledge of them having the disease. (yes, people do that so take care.)
What we all need to remember is we are responsible for our life. Not your partner - so the sooner you get tested and put lay some rules in your relationship, the safer you will be because believe it or not, S/he does not owe you safety. (It's Life!)
SUGAR DADDY SYNDROME (and some mommies)
I mentioned earlier that the reason these young girls are prone to this scourge is because of these men. Sugar daddies (and some mommies when it applies to young guys), I just do not understand what it is they have not TASTED in all their YEARS on this here earth. What is it that is so NEW??? frankly speaking, sex has not attained a NEW meaning lately because the 1900z and 2013 still define it the same. (google!)Could it however be attributed to Excitement?? (I hear their years were even more exciting). So then what is it???? Midlife Crisis?? Maybe so, but how about you take your current partner (your long-time wife) to the Bahamas with all your retirement money and have a great time reminiscing the good ol' (yes, OLD) days you had as youngsters THAN make a 20 year old pregnant and leave her child fatherless because you are either going to run away or deny ever knowing her once you are through with her.
{Picture a life where all girls said NO to such men *loading mental picture*}
LAZINESS / UNEMPLOYMENT / POVERTY
Our government is doing the very best it can to create jobs for the unemployed youth of our country. According to Trading Economics, Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment.The question however is; is our government doing enough to create jobs? or are we, the youth, doing enough to get hired? but that is a post for another day.
I understand that Poverty and Unemployment is REAL but what is even more real is the laziness amongst us youth. Yes, we can blame the government and how they are not providing enough jobs and/or resources to help our start-up businesses but truth is, until we have a start-up, no resources will be available and I really do not have any real solutions for lack of funds or support for the youth, but I do know that we are responsible for our own lives and the sooner we start creating jobs for ourselves and supporting each other through networking and other means, the better and faster we will get at being independent from this mental slavery.
I do commend the government however for designing an 'internship programme' for graduates in order for them to gain the much needed 'work experience' that every employer so religiously emphasizes on. (Source on internship : Time of Lusaka ). We will wait for 2014 to see how effective this will be.
So could Laziness, unemployment and poverty be a contributing factor for how careless our youth has been?
SELF LOVE / VALUE
I recently read somewhere that 'Comparison is the thief of joy'.. and that statement in itself is the truth! the minute you think your life should have been like ba chite over there is the same minute you rob yourself of all the great opportunities you could have ceased, all the things you could have been because you are too busy trying to get a car like hers / his without fully understanding how they got to that place.Oh yes Ladies and Gents it is our time, its time for some self-love.
CONCLUSION
This article has been particularly about a mixture of emotions so take what you can, improve what you must and feel free to trash what you do not need. The Questions i pose to you are these:1. Are you doing enough to protect yourself against HIV/AIDS?
2. Your character is a direct reflection of your closest company, So who are your closest friends and what do they stand for?
3. Are you Unemployed? what is your experience with prospective employers? how many interviews have you had? What does your CV look like (if you have one)? Who do you network with?
4. What value have you placed on yourself? (people treat you according to how you value yourself)
5. Are you a gold-digger? hahahaha, okay, that is irrelevant. (feel free to smirk!)
2014 brings with it new opportunities - grab them or Create your own. Either way, don't just sit there and complain, Time is moving and 2014 is fast approaching. After Christmas, life gets back to normal, so stay ALIVE!
God Bless You
