A Day in the Life of an Immunized Youth.
This is the breakdown of the various events that happen in a typical day for a Ugandan Youth who is unemployed. The breakdown is according to hours.
5/6 am Wake up. Say a short prayer. Think of what will be different today. If there isn’t, then go back to sleep. If there is, then scroll through the Facebook pages using the Facebook zero platform maybe there will be a ray of hope; a real job opportunity a relief from the job scams that taint the groups.
8:30/9 am Jump out of bed. Starting to feel the pangs of hunger. Take a shower, clean yourself up. Spend a few moments debating whether to re-wear yesterday’s t-shirt or fish out a fresh one. Being positive you pick a fresh t-shirt. Yesterday’s pair of jeans will do.
9:30 am Fetch some fried cassava near the airtime kiosk. Go home and wash it with a mug of tea, and breakfast is officially done.
10/11:30 am Loiter around the folders and drives on your computer. Play a computer game. Get bored and lay on your bed going through your phone.
1:15 pm You passed out and so did the cassava in your tummy. You contemplate how to make lunch happen. You settle for the chapatti beans combo. It is cheap and satisfying and at least you run no risk of burning your fingers in preparation for the meal since you are going to buy it. But you are lazy to take the stroll to the nearest stall given the heat outside can make your brain boil.
2:30 pm Lunch is done and you remember that exercises are crucial. You pump out 8 and a half press-ups and crumble down. You think about exercising more, running. You remember you can not risk running around the neighborhood considering you will become the talk of the neighbors. Everyone will be talking about you being a lazy bum; that you are training in a bid to feature in the next Olympics and defeat your unemployment.
3/5 pm You arise from the afternoon nap. With sweat trickling down your sides. You curse the heat. Take another shower. Re-wear your t-shirt and go take a seat in front of the television. The popular evening interactive music show will save you from your thoughts for a few hours.
7/8 pm You get a text message from a girl, followed by a phone call from a different girl that you do not take. You watch the news and have a conversation with a friend or two. The girl that called, calls again. You pick up and hastily tell her that “baby am just leaving work, I will text you when am home.” You reply to the earlier text after an hour saying, “I am sorry love was in a late evening meeting at work, just leaving.”
9 pm Your dad calls but you do not pick. You know he is going to probe you about employment and you are tired of assuring him that you will receive an email or phone call any time soon.
Supper is saved by your brother’s girlfriend who hates you because she cannot carry supper for your brother alone. If she did, your brother being formally employed will leave the meal for you and she would hate that.
10 pm One of the ‘girls’ calls. She talks for like an hour. Mostly persuading you for an outing/date. You know you cannot risk that. So you tell her that you are praying for a new job because your current employer wants you working from 8 am to 8 pm. She asks why you did not compliment her about the new photos she sent to your WhatsApp. You tell her you were too caught up at work to check but you will after the phone call.
11 pm You ask your brother for his phone so you can tether and check your email and respond to all the Whatsapp messages. Watch a movie a friend dropped by or the series your brother got from work. Then sleep off wondering if tomorrow will be good to you.
