It’s a silent plague, a generation of unmotivated youngsters who fall into two categories. One is the children of parents who went through the bootstraps, from nothing to something, now in the middle or upper class.
They have all the trappings of a higher socio-economic class; houses, cars, land, status and good jobs in both public and private sectors.
They have savings that would take them through adversity, either as a pension, sacco savings or money tied in stocks, bonds or other assets.
The parents benefited from the missionary values and traditions.
They grew up when the echoes of the old order could still be heard - when elders were respected, hard work honoured and being responsible was a virtue.
These parents are likely to be church elders, board members (including school boards), club members, or opinion shapers by now.
There comes the problem. Their children have everything that inspires them: shoes, cars, power in the house, holidays, club membership, good schools, good neighbourhoods, and family names. What should the children aspire to achieve?
These parents try to motivate their children through stories of their lives. But children can’t internalise that.
How does a child driven to school all her life internalise walking to school, milking a cow, getting water from the river, working for a neighbour for pay or thatching a house?
How can you cook using firewood like early man, they ask? Taking about traditional values with cucu or guka (grandfather or grandmother) is even harder. They can’t even speak their language! Their benchmark is what they have watched online, watched on TV or shared with peers.
Remember they could follow TV at age two, English is their first language; other languages are a distraction. And their parents supported them.
How do you motivate this generation? Some parents use material things, giving them all they lacked. But such materials don’t have a lasting motivation, their effect is transient. How much money is enough, clothes, toys, pizza or holidays? Material things are insatiable and marketers know that.
How about focusing on high ideals like volunteering? What do you discuss in family meetings; protestant work ethic? How about challenging careers? Who should study nuclear engineering; a boy from Mukuru Kwa Njenga or Karen? How about new experiences and responsibilities? Did you require your grown-up children to live alone, pay rent, and other services?
Beyond household chores, what else do your children do? When did you let go of the “house manager” for kids to take over, or do you dislike child labour?
Any sports? Estate activities? Do you leave them to organise family events? Setting non-monetary benchmarks is the best motivation. How about reminding them to chart their own path, away from the shadow of their parents?
What of the next unmotivated group from a poor background? This group is perplexing. They should ideally be highly motivated, and eager to escape poverty. Their problem is learnt helplessness.
They have seen neighbours, relatives and classmates jobless after school. They have seen nepotism override meritocracy. They feel their path to upward mobility is blocked.
Unlike the upper and middle class who have a network of old friends, or classmates, this group believes in the old system, where justice and meritocracy worked. They are close to religion and traditions.
Diluting elitism
It’s hard for them to break into the close-knit networks of the upper and middle classes. They wait for the government. Would the upper and middle classes allow this group to join them? Would they be seen as diluting elitism?
Motivating this group is easy; show them pathways to upward mobility. It has always been the hard way through school, taking family responsibility early from farming to taking care of siblings. They have not yet learnt to work “smart.”
They would join the upper and middle classes if the economy was growing fast enough. Interestingly, one way to catalyse economic growth is to let this group get into the job market, through meritocracy. They are normally very motivated because of their “lack.” And carry honesty with them. Remember the early days of our republic when jobs were everywhere?
Think of immigrants in developed countries and how they work hard before they start behaving like the hosts. Talk to Kenyans abroad (majuu). We have immigrants into the city who behave the same way.
Who is your security guard? House girl? Car wash attendant? Gardener? Cook? Who does the real work in the private and public sectors? Forget supervisors and managers.
We could also motivate the two groups by bringing them together. The upper and middle classes will appreciate the resilience of the lower class. And probably see the folly of entitlement. The lower class will aspire to be like the upper and middle class. Remember our universities after uhuru?
That would call for a rethinking of our education, and make it less class-conscious like in Canada. Why do I meet Kenyans of all racial backgrounds from mzungu to Asians on the golf courses, on the roads, in hotels and supermarkets but not in classrooms or lecture rooms?
We could also start in our homes. The family is the seedbed of socio-economic growth. Parents should spend more time with children, mentoring them and correcting them just as they spend in their workplace. Other institutions like the church and leadership should join hands.
Motivated youngsters or the youth can be a better economic stimulus than tax cuts or lowering interest rates. Think of it, the 10-19-year-olds make up about 22.1 per cent of the Kenyan population (Unicef, 2024).
They are full of energy and exuberance. All they need is our support and inspiration.
Share your experience of motivating the next generation.
