Graduates competing for casual jobs with villagers: The pain and shame of desperate unemployed youths

The haves and the have nots. 

 For every person crying about how tough life is, there is a person smiling all the way to the bank.

 And such is the reality of life.

 One group that knows this all too well is graduates. While many struggle right from securing internships to finding employment, there are some who know no such stresses and lady luck seems to smile on them as they get attachment and jobs or if they prefer, venture into business, complete with the starting capital.

 An average of 50,000 Kenyans graduate from universities annually, according to the Commission for Higher Education. 

This excludes graduates from colleges, national polytechnics and training institutions.

Several graduates spoke to Wananchi Reporting about their experiences:

Securing attachment and internships has also become a problem for students. “I remember we were 65 in class pursing a Bachelor’s degree in interior design, seven out of 65 got attached at the appropriate time. The rest of us were forced to work for two or even one month. I dropped my documents in eight companies, it’s the eighth one which called me for five weeks yet it is a 12 weeks course. I appreciate them for the opportunity though. I don’t even want to think of a job,” Mercy Nyawira, a graduate from Maseno university shared her experience. 

 For Oliver Alila, a graduate from Moi University with Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, he said he was stranded after completing his studies. “I don’t know where to hide my face. The shame and the phrase ‘si alienda university’ from villagers seeing me in the village jobless is breaking me. My parents struggled to pay my school fees. I am the first born and their hope. I would wish to help them pay school fees for my siblings but I cannot. I know my story is discouraging even the young pupils in my village. They looked up to me, the determination and the hard work, now I am competing with the villagers for casual work at the building sites,” he said.

 Austine Mokaya, another graduate, shared his story. As a young ambitious man, who had planned his life, he had big dreams.

 “I grew up a bright pupil. From class four I knew I wanted to be an engineer. Counted the years I would take in high school and university as well. I knew at the age of 26, I would have worked, planned myself and start a family. I am 31 years now with nothing except the electric and electrical engineering degree I got from the university. With all the skills, experience and passion, I am a hustler doing online writing,” Mokaya, a graduate from Technical University of Kenya, shared his experience.

 Becky Phill syas she resorted to going back to live with here parents, despite obtaining a degree in human resource management.

For her, it was not a matter of joblessness. She resigned from her customer care representative job after failing to land her dream job.

“I got job with a private company in Nairobi as a customer care representative. I worked for three months until I realised that the role was draining me and mentally affecting me. I worked six days a week for at least ten hours per day. The environment was not friendly as well. I remember I fell sick and was forced to report to work. I could not do it. I chose my health first. Ever since I resigned, it has been one year now, I do not have job despite sending more than 30 applications,” she said. 

Phil, who is 27 years old, says she feels embarrassed by her situation because she depends on her parents for an allowance to buy the most basic of essentials, including her menstruation towels.

However, the situation is different for some graduates from well-to-do families.

They are venturing in business. Their families can support them with starting capital and any other expenses. 

“I did bachelor of communication and public relations from Moi University. I want to start my public relations company. I want to rest for like five months, and then my father will help me start my company. I am not ready for the hustle of looking for jobs,” one graduate, who preferred to remain anonymous, told Wananchi Reporting.