Unemployment and Mental Health

Instead of a million jobs, Malawi now has 1 million reported cases of mental health according to St John of God; a reputable institution based in Lilongwe and Mzuzu. The report written by Zodiak Online comes when Malawi is joining the rest of the world in commemorating the international mental health day.

This is alarming as unemployment is at the top when it comes to things that take a mental toll on people. This isn’t even shocking considering CNN health did a report which stated that people who have been unemployed for 6 months or more shows signs of depression. So think of those that have graduated and have been seeking employment for longer than 2 years.

Malawi as of October 8 has a population of 20,248,051 (the 1 being my friend who just received a baby boy); and reports will show that a huge percentage of the current population is the youth and more shocking is unemployed youth. People that are job hunting on the daily and competing with sex for work, nepotism and a lack of support for those seeking opportunities outside of a 9-5. Tax on the rise and not even encouraging innovation and growth. Politics that focus on theories on paper but self-enrichment on the ground. Don’t get me started on the elderly that are trying to fix their past by holding on to positions they know they are currently underperforming at, where the few employed youth are seen as threats and are made to either shut up or get frustrated with their bad work environment/ conditions.

To avoid all this mental gymnastics, the everyday citizen is turning to social media because misery loves company and it’s easier to argue over who’s right or wrong when it’s about a stolen dog or who should pay on the first date, why you should leave Malawi, high school Vs LEA, Gwamba in another scandal, latest on Kanye West, Minister of Education’s take on Forex.

So the next time you ask a Malawian Youth, “how are you” and they say they’re truly fine give them a hug and motivation.

In conclusion, it is easy to sympathize with people but it does nothing if you’re contributing to those problems, it can be you, your relatives, friends, acquittance or mutuals; it is time to truly have a mindset change. Change that’s for the betterment of self and country.

Welcome to my world, Wisdom Manda is the name and you will remember me.