ZAMBIAN’S NEED A NEW MINDSET TOWARDS WORK!
PRESS STATEMENT.
As citizens of the Republic of Zambia, we need a total overhaul of our mindsets regarding our perception towards work!
Our minds are corrupt when it comes to work. We only believe that work could only be a formal engagement where someone is given a white collar employment that recquires sitting in office. Only individuals who are on a monthly salary and are given terms and conditions are said to be formally employed.
In Zambia we are solely dependant on the Government providing adquate and sufficient jobs for us. Further more, our education system is crafted in such a way that young ones can only start working after attaining high academic credentials.
TAKE A LESSON FROM REFUGEES.
Refugees are people who have come to live in our Country after running away from their native Countries ravaged by Civil wars, Ethnic conflicts, Political turmoils and Natural calamities. Refugees are different from investors who come to our Country to conduct businesses.
Refugees come to our Country literally with nothing for themselves. These colleagues of ours are expected to live in designated Settlement Camps established in Maheba (Solwezi – North Western Province), Matampala (Nchelenge – Luapula Province) and Mayukwayukwa (Kaoma – Western Province).
However the economic conditions in these Camps are so unbearable and pathetic to the extent that the Office of the Commissioner for Refugees allow the Refugees to accessing major towns so that the refugees could engage themselves into finding temporal jobs or some form of piece work in order for them to sustain themselves materially.
Immediately refugees are given some Mobility Pass, they work extremely hard and are able to establish different enterprises meant to help them sustain themselves. Refugees work very hard and within a short period of time, they are able to grow their small businesses to an extent that the local people begin to admire their successes and accomplishments.
It is sad that instead of learning something from refugees and replicate their mindsets, many local people begin to harass them and address them with all sorts of names. Some local people even tend to take advantage of them and begin extorting them money using unscrupulous means.
We need to realize that work is not all about getting employed in Government and being put on salary. Anything that one does as long as it can afford us to put food on the table is work. It should take humility on our part accepting to do anything that can help us sustain our families.
I wish to confess that from infancy, I have personally never worked for anyone. I learnt some construction skills at a tender age. I was running a carpentry workshop while attending tertiary education. I used to repair sofas, kitchen cabinets, wardrobes, plumbing works and other skills while going to school.
Even when I worked as a volunteer in a religious Organization, I was running some business as my part time job. I could get some projects building for some people. I used to do roofing of structures, house installations and fixing ceiling boards for some houses. At some point, I used to buy some second hand vehicles, remodel them and reselling them at the same time.
Simply put, I have never suffered in my life. Instead of looking for a job, I often create employment for others. Until recently, I founded an Organization called Movement for Promoting National Values and Principles while maintaining my Construction Company that I established some 10 years ago.
It is high time we came out from slumber as citizens and help the Government by taking initiative of various opportunities offered to us. As a Country we are blessed with relative peace and stability. The Government ‘s role is simply meant to provide an enabling environment for all the citizens to businesses. In fact Politicians must never mislead us, there will never be a Government that will manage employing everyone!
Writer: Joseck Kunda – National Ambassador, An Enterprenur, Managing Director for Jobenda Ltd and Chief Executive Officer for MPNVP.