A silent but important discussion is slowly gaining momentum on social media and other meetups.
The subject matter is the growing numbers of empty pockets among the youth both in Urban and rural settings.
With national unemployment levels reaching over 15%, the debate triggers mixed reactions.
Taarifa has picked up on this discussion of an unidentified elegant looking Rwandan lady saying Rwandan youth are very broke and wants government to intervene and possibly enable them fill up their pockets with cash.
“Only that we don’t talk about it but we are poor,” she says in the opening statement in a 52 seconds video.
“Rwandan youth! We are damn broke. Look at me. Do you know the type of phone I’m using? I look good and presentable. If I go downtown, shop attendants would be wooing me to buy from them. But guess what? I only have Frw300 on my Momo account,” she says with guestures seemingly indicating she is angry with her own situation believing that other youth share the same.
The angry lady adds, “these are things government should address. We are broke but they don’t see it. Guys! Don’t see us looking nice but we are broke and cooked.”
Although Taarifa hasn’t established the lady’s social media account, the video was uploaded by Ignatius Kabagambe saying he disagrees with her.
“Her elegant appearance – hair, skin, dress, bag, and phone, suggests resources inconsistent with the despair she projects,” Kabagambe said.
Kabagambe also questions the motivation behind the spread of the video which he also uploaded and never credited the source.
“The fact that known government critics were first to amplify the video to allege incompetence makes the motive suspicious,” Kabagambe said in a lengthy post.
“Let us not watch youth slide into false comfort and entitlement. Sympathy for her should not carry the dangerous insinuation that linking her to professional haters puts her at risk from government. This would be an unfair portrayal of Rwanda as cruel or reckless toward dissent,” he said.
Natalie Munyana has a different perspective of the lady’s concern raised in the video which according to her is about securing ‘Likes’ on social media.
“That toxic energy that says nothing works in this country must be rejected every time even as we give rightful feedback. Let’s roll up our sleeves to solve these problems. The real activist says what I can do, not how many followers did I get today. Remember we have faced harder challenges in this country and overcome – that is the basis of our optimism,” Munyana says.
For Lonzen Rugira the subject of broke youth may not be reasonable enough to expect a response from government.
“On employment: it is reasonable to expect government to provide jobs; but it is also reasonable to look in the mirror and ask yourself, am I doing everything possible (acquiring skills, etc) to compete for available jobs? This is a two-way street that is indispensable in the discourse on employment. Discussing one responsibility without the other is the problem with the current debate,” Lonzen discusses.
What is the colour, image of poverty ?
For Gatete Niyongabo Ruhumuliza agrees with Kabagambe’s opinion, “I agree with you, Ignatius! If this is the new face of poverty in Rwanda, then I am not worried.”
On the contrary KagaboPTA wonders, “government does not give money,it provides opportunities and guidance on how to earn it. If she wanted to explain her poverty, she would not have included claims about the government.”
The statistics
Rwanda with a population of 14 million the youth (ages 16-30) make up about 27% of the total population.
A significant portion of Rwanda population are under 35 years old (around 78%).
Youth Unemployment in Rwanda remains a concern, with figures around 15.5% in recent reports.
Unemployment rates are generally higher for females than males.
Editor’s note: The views expressed in the discussion are not of Taarifa or it’s management
