WHAT DO WE LEARN FROM A MOSQUITO?

 A mosquito is small insect but causes a lot of havoc. In fact it spreads malaria which is one of the leading causes of death in the world. When we see a mosquito we undermine its size but the havoc it can cause is massive. What has this got to do with life? I have a privilege of meeting so many people especially youths in various financial literacy trainings. One observation that I make with a number of them is the lack of belief in themselves and their value. I have met graduates who have good degrees but they do not believe that they can make a difference. They wait for outside forces to give them permission.

The question that I ask is if Nelson Mandela had waited for outside permission would he have become a world icon? If Mother Theresa had waited for permission would she have become a world icon? If the Wright Brothers had waited for permission would they have revolutionized the aviation industry? These examples should inform us that we may not need outside permission to make a difference in our communities. All the leading entrepreneurs started with what they had. Today we have able bodied youths who wait for handouts. They are called for capacity building seminars and they do not turn up. Other demand for transport allowance yet they will get skills that will enable them to earn long term wealth. Today we have some youths who prefer to attack innocent people and they grab their property instead of seeking viable means of earning a living. How can Uganda be called a Pearl of Africa when things that are being done in reality are the opposite?.

The message is that every person can be an agent of positive change if well mentored. We need to avoid a scenario where youths lose hope in their country and prefer to go abroad for greener pastures.

HOW TO MAKEA DIFFRENCE IN THE COMMUNITY

1.Have a long term vision

2.Associate with successful people

3.Set clear goals

4.Build your confidence 

5.Act on your goals

6.Learn from mistakes

7. Avoid instant gratification

8. Have a positive attitude

9.Practice humility

10.Develop the spirit of service.


A mosquito is a small insect but it can cause death. What we learn from it is that as individuals we have a lot of power which we should not take for granted. We should not allow our dreams to go to the cemetery.


Phillip Kiryowa

Finance and Leadership Coach

+256752615916

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

THRIVING AMIDST UNEMPLOYMENT

 Ask any graduate what their worst night mare is and they will inform you that lack of access to a dignified employment opportunity is a big hurdle. Over 70% of Ugandans are below the age of 30 years of age. There are very many reasons why the unemployment rate needs to be addressed. Uganda has over 30 universities and all universities graduate over 300,000 graduates per year yet the formal sector produces on average 70,000 jobs. This mismatch is an indicator of the frustrations that the young people face. It was on media last year when I saw a group of able bodied youths who wanted to beat up staff of a sports betting company for failing to pay for their "Return on Investment" in Bugiri District. Iam not saying that all youths are involved in crime .What am trying to point out is that the probability of a youth without a job being involved in crime is high( after all there is a saying that an idle mind is a devil's workshop). Just this year there was youth who was killed
Read more

A SAVINGS PLAN CAN AID IN FINANCIAL ADVANCEMENT

 I remember during the Trainer of Trainers training conducted by Bank of Uganda we were encouraged to develop a savings plan. This was a key development because without a plan we may live in financial darkness. In my years of providing financial literacy across the country especially youths I have observed that the intangible practices that may be undermined play a big role in the big picture. I have been asked a question, "how can one save yet their needs exceed their income?. It is a tough question but the best practice remains that even in the hardest of circumstances we should prioritize saving .This is because we do not know what the future holds. As humans we forget so fast. Who remembers during the lock down of Covid-19 when people were not working. Life was extremely tough. It was an opportunity to reflect about the importance of savings during good times. A savings plan enables a person to determine why they are saving. It could be for school fees, buying a plot, a car an
Read more

WE CELEBRATE GRADUATION BUT AFTER THAT WHAT NEXT ?

 Uganda is officially dominated by young people. Over 50 %of the population are youths. With a high population the job market also shrinks yet people need to survive. It is the means of survival that create social pressure. The unemployment dilemma in the country can be dissected from different angles and each person or all stakeholders have a critical role to play.  Universities and other institutions of higher learning produce over 300,000 graduates per year. The job creation rate is about 70,000 jobs per year. This means that the job market is narrow. It is a common sight to see over 100 applicants for one job. This is a signal that something drastic must be done to change this trajectory. Development partners such as government, private sectors and donors such as Master Card Foundation are playing a critical role in addressing youth unemployment. In fact this suggests that fight against youth unemployment must be multifaceted.  During graduation season it is justifiable for any stu
Read more