Due to the high unemployment rate, the youth are called upon to use their skills to create own jobs.
It’s not uncommon to see people create their own careers through talent. Most talents like music, art and craft, photography among others have helped youth to transform their lives.
Due to the high unemployment rate, the youth are called upon to use their skills to create own jobs.
Mwasiti Almas Yusuph, popularly known as Mwasiti, is a singer and Afro-Pop and Bongo flava song writer
Mwasiti is known for many hit songs, including her single “Nalivua Pendo”, which was number one on Tanzanian radio charts and won “Best Zouk Song” at the 2009 Tanzania Music Awards.
Mwasiti says she realised her talent when she was in Grade Three, explaining that she used to practice dancing to Bolingo beats.
“The talent was polished at a higher level when I entered Grade Six. I used to pen down songs in booklets,” she says.
She adds that upon entering secondary school, she mobilised her fellow students to organise clubs which used to nurture students’ talents. “We used to have talent shows in school, later on many students were involved in developing their talents,” she recalls.
Mwasiti says her spirit of loving music evolved and she started participating in different shows like Coca Cola Pop star singing competition.
“There was a time I stopped getting involved in singing competitions after my father was worried that music could disrupt my academic progresses, thank goodness he understood as time went by,” she says.
Turning music into career
According to Mwasiti, having completed her secondary education, she had to wait for college entrance results and it was at that moment that she thought of turning her talent into a career. “After staying at home waiting to join collage I thought of turning my talent into a career. I was fully engaged in music from 2006 when I joined The Tanzania House of Talent (THT),” she says.
Mwasiti says it was at THT that she seceded to release her first song known as Niambie in 2006, the song which was nominated twice as the best song at the Tanzania Music Awards festival
The singer says since she made music her career she has had a lot of success along the way.
“In 2006, I was nominated ‘Best Upcoming Female Artist’ at the Tanzania Music awards,” she says.
She adds that her single “Nalivua Pendo” holds the record for staying number one on the radio chats for over 8 consecutive years.
Mwasiti now works as a civil rights activist, who campaigns against the spread of Malaria by helping refugees.
She calls upon the youth to stick to their talents and take art as a career for it can help them transform their lives.
She bemoans artists who haven’t fully capitalised on their God-given gift.
Brenda Kibakaya is another young artist who turned their talent into a career.
“Ever since I was in Grade Two, I used to love drawing,” she says, adding, “It is from there that I realised I had impeccable drawing ability.”
Brenda however didn’t take art seriously at the beginning. She wasn’t sure whether it was something that could transform her life. She nonetheless developed her talent by continuing to draw.
“Even after I went to the Institute of Finance Management (IMF) for a diploma programme, I didn’t relent in polishing my talent,” she says, noting that she was intrinsically motivated to turn her art talent into a career.
She says it was until she met Garbon Mwakatobe, an art teacher at Nafasi Art Space, that she managed to get some coaching on how to sharpen her art skills.
Her success
Brenda says she organised an exhibition at Masaki whose theme was: Safari ya Maua, alongside her friends. The event, she says, was the base of her artistic improvement because she had an opportunity to meet with other talented artists.
“The exhibition was a success because many people enjoyed our work. It was from there that I started getting more popular than before,” says Brenda, adding that they showcased art which was massively bought.
Speaking on challenges, Brenda says it is in almost every woman to lack that belief in one’s abilities, noting that women still have a mentality of being pushed by men to succeed, something which she thinks should be avoided.
She says her plan is to have her own gallery which will put her in a good position to showcase her work. The artist says that art pays, calling on the youth to embark on it as a business and not a past time activity.
Another upcoming talented artist, Martha Mtasiwa, 29, says she started drawing on sand when she was a little girl and it is from there that she managed to sculpture sensible products.
Martha, a young artist from Bagamoyo managed to turn her talent into a career.
“While in primary school, I liked vocational subjects the most. I was really performing well and teachers showered me with lots of prizes,” she says.
Martha says while in Grade Six she attained number 10 position in the 2004 Primary School pupils’ art competition, which was organized by the government.
She says after her mother had recognized her achievements in art, she pushed her to strive for further success.
Martha says after her primary education she continued with secondary school but had to drop while in Form Two due to poor academic performance.
“From then on I turned my talent into a career. Even after learning that my mother was unhappy about my poor academic performance I opted to soldier on hoping that life would be transformed for the better along the way,” she says.
Martha says her success was realised after she started being involved in different exhibitions, sometimes showcasing her products in a group or individually.
“I have managed to set up my own shop where I sell my art works to a number of people, including tourists. I also sell electrical appliances; all aimed at boosting my finances,” she says.
Martha says her plan is to make a number of exhibitions in and outside the country.
“I look forward to becoming one of the most famous artists in the world,” insists Martha.
Faraja Akwilapo, a lecturer from the University of Dar es Salaam. department of education says youth should use their talents to create own jobs but he calls on the government to support them to realise their dreams.
He notes that the government should set up mega projects that could provide employment opportunities for the youth.
Apart from that the consortium of science and technology should set rules that could see the new intellectual property of young innovators is observed.
Dr Akwilapo says it is time the authorities set good policies that would ensure youth talents are tapped from primary school to university. The policies should go along way in motivating and creating enabling environment for learners to demonstrate their potentials.
