The subject of youth migration brings to mind a number of points to debate on. Here, I postulate that in its initial stages, youth migration appears to be in response to fault lines within ones own governance system. This could be as a result of a breakdown of social services and unfavourable socio-economic and political conditions. In the mature stages, youth migration takes an individualistic form, as it happens when a person seeks growth and validation of themselves in a different context especially with regards to their abilities and sense of imagination. The second interpretation is the one in which the recollection below is based on.
I have, on a number of times enjoyed the ups and downs of migration particularly when I ventured into previously unknown zones. The experience I had working in a poultry company in the country of Mozambique situated in Chimoio back in 2009 was no usual case of migration for it was purely economic reasons that pushed me beyond my comfort zone. I got a job the very same day I left Zimbabwe, my country of origin. It wasnt a nice job but it earned me a salary needed to keep me going. My work duties required many hours of physical work in the poultry houses, each house with birds up to 25,000, the first time I witnessed large scale broiler chicken production.
The one and a half month I got engaged by the company provided many important lessons some to which I subscribe till this day. The most important of the lessons is that one should always be ready to face anything. The job I was offered was unlike what my educational training pointed to. The job had nothing to do with what I possessed with regards to educational attainments (possibly for managerial positions in agriculture). I faithfully did what I was required to do, in the process translating some not all the theory from my agricultural education into practice.
Despite the many hours of work, I gained new knowledge and skills from my work colleagues. Ironically, the one lesson that follows after these long hours of physical work is that with a good education you are a better candidate for employment. Again I kept in touch with my supervisor for two more years until circumstances changed and cut further contact.
In light of the 2013 International Youth Day, my take home message from the recollection experiences is that Diasporas role in a nations development is important particularly in the way they fuse distant and local knowledge in practicalities. The knowledge that a person acquires when they leave to a distant place other than their locality is immense. Its almost certain that ones moments of truth springs from such experiences. I have gained useful insights from distant places not only in matters to do with agriculture, but in other existing amazing career paths.
My migration experiences continue to broaden my horizon and break boundaries within my sense of imagination. Agriculture is a diverse field that has for a long time waited patiently in order to benefit from the entrepreneurial minds that migrate. The International Youth Day 2013 is, perhaps a convenient time to reverse youth migration!