We tie on Kampala for nothing but future is actually rural – part 2 – Monitor

As promised last week, let us explore opportunities for young people, focusing on rural futurism. On day one of the Okere Summit, I noticed something peculiar. A missing demographic component.

We had been entertained by primary school children and adolescents, seen the much older and elderly women in their civic education class, and also interacted with middle-aged community members and leaders at the summit.

Where are the youth? I asked. It is interesting to note that contrary to popular narrative, youth do not constitute the majority component of Ugandas population. But it is easy to tell when they are or arent in a place. Futuristic community projects with the potential that Okere city has must integrate youth in their agenda of change, otherwise it is likely to come to naught.

This is for two core reasons. The first being a need to create transitions, and the second being, as a deterrent against the potential for destruction thanks to the hubris, naivety and myopy of youth. That is why I was keen to find out where the citys youth were.

Okere, like many other rural places around the country, is losing its young people to urban migration, in search for better opportunities. There is little to do in the village and their dreams whatever those might be wont be fulfilled there. So, they come to town to ride boda-bodas, work at construction sites or as Askaris, cleaners, hawkers etc. If this fails, as is often wont to, they might resort to petty and sometimes violent crime.

Besides its value in oil, the Shea tree is also, apparently, famous for producing the best charcoal. Before Ojoks foray down this inexplicable dream, whatever little came into the Okere economy was via charcoal trade.

Now, leaders are talking about bylaws to criminalise the cutting of shea trees because they are already reaping more than they ever have and cant begin to imagine the kind of rosy future they will soon have.

You get the sense that Ojok will not be the last son of the soil to commit class suicide. Soon, many others working high level jobs in Kampala or wherever will want in on the harvest. But it wont be just them. It will also be those who didnt get a good enough education and exposure to imagine what more they can do with the tracts of land their families own. They will be back home planting Shea trees on every inch of land that they can find.

If this happens, might we see millions of other young people from other parts of the country decide to swap Kampalas meagre salaries and exorbitant rent bills for their familys cattle farms, coffee, and matooke, and potato plantations?

Might we then be able to bring a stop to the sad sight of labour migration that we continue to witness with hundreds of thousands of our young people seeking opportunities in the Middle East? Who knows!

But these sorts of monumental systemic shifts take lots of guts, endurance and a certain simplicity that not many of us are blessed with. Community impact projects arent the kinds many would invest in because there is usually little to no return on the money. That is why Ojoks move is great because it combines impact with economics that actually works.

More than anything, it is a lesson on how to not over-complicate things. Development and ideas fail to take off or arrive because we start to draw linear demand and supply curves, overanalyse profit and loss margins, try to make forecasts and predict bottom lines. It is the reason why many of us dont start because like government bureaucrats and Ugandan bankers we are looking to tick every box.

But those sorts of things dont tell you that opportunity is more transcendent than linear. That you can just start without a plan and figure things out as you go. That sometimes, your only job in the equation is to begin and let others who wouldnt, take over the planning and strategy because that is their forte. That more times than not, you have a better shot at success if you build off of the work and sweat of your ancestors than you will trying to go at it on your own, in the city. Visit Okere City, it will make sense. Then go back to your village and see what you can do.

Mr Rukwengye is the founder, Boundless Minds. @Rukwengye

Originally posted here:
We tie on Kampala for nothing but future is actually rural - part 2 - Monitor