Monday, September 28, 2015

“I am cutting off my friend list”....

By Clive Mutame Siachiyako

“I am cutting off my friend list” is a common phrase on social media and different life-words. Some people feel like shedding off their network of friends is better than keeping them around. They see little value in them. Probably they feel inconvenienced. They need space, they want to be alone and see the world in their single-view. No one should invade their created privacy! It's of course your right to choose who to network with and who not to...

However, I am arguing within social capital virtues that networks are very important resources in any circle of life. Even ants have networks that they collectively work with to build ant-hills. It’s not a daft undertaking having networks. It pays off well both in economic, social and circus life. To bring it closer, let me use the example of finding a school place, especially in the Zambian context. 

School places either at primary, secondary or tertiary level is very strenuous. They are getting fewer every day. Teachers are becoming very good networks in finding school places. They are the managers of schools. They decide who gets a place and who doesn’t in their schools. They are simply dons :-) 

I had always wondered why one of my sisters who is a teacher/lecturer keeps a chain of networks in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions. I found it belabouring at the first glance. I perfectly understood when I was once involved in finding a school place for my nephew in primary school. Schools have all sorts of excuses and reasons to deny you a place. You will really feel how strong school managers are when looking for a school place. They can make you dance their music. 

But with my sister, she could simply either call one of her former pupil or student who is a teacher and ‘bingo’ the school place is offered. Simple as such, that’s how things work in this era. You need to “know someone.” You need good networks; networks that can keep you in the loop on many things in life. 

Pundits like Karl Marx and his disciples have put it networks (in the academia, social life, economical and cultural arenas) are 'glue’ that sticks society together for its betterment. One post-Marxist, Pierre Bourdieu argues that networks are not only about loose associations for ‘playing games of amusement’ but are about institutions, relationships, and norms that shape the quality and quantity of a society's social interactions. Our networks underpin our society, they are the ‘glue that holds people together.’ We all depend on a network of some kind to get things moving in life.

Most of us have contacted friends before to ‘cough out’ something for paying off some debt or other life hiccups. Or your uncle or aunt once sent you to one of their networks for a school place, job or favour that added great value to your life. Some of us have gotten jobs through our networks’ networks. Someone connected us to someone who made things move. That is how life is, it revolves around networks. From biblical recordings, we see Lot and Abraham using their pastoral networks to acquire livestock for their well-being. The creation story equally presents some level of network where God spoke and creation of the earth and everything on it happened. We seen spiritual networks co-constructing the earth and its inhabitants. 

What kinds of networks exist?
Networks can be vertical or horizontal. Our vertical networks are those at our level, below and above us. They can be our former professors, teachers, bosses in places of work, foreign associates, etc. Horizontal ones are those on our level in life. They could be classmates, fellow working class (holding similar positions), business partners, fellow unmarried, etc. We need both types of networks for our success in life. 

Internet has created another set of networks ashore from our locality. Some of the networks we can share knowledge resources are: professional think tanks, social movements, financial analysts, etc. Facebook has become one of the powerful resources for network creation and connecting with others. Professional pages share useful resources of knowledge that can change lives. There is a page for “small farmers in Zambia” for instance, which shares immense information on various issues concerning farming. New entrants in farming are benefiting a great deal. 

Networks pay off, depending on how you treat its members. You can’t beg anyone to be part of your network, but your attitude, actions and concern to them when they need you would add value to the longevity of your networks. We need to wisely identify networks and network members to keep within your ambit. You can’t please everyone, but you can build working network relationship for rainy days. You can’t tell who becomes who in future; thus you can’t carelessly shed off people simply out of excitement that you are far ahead of them in life or something of that sort. Maturity, gestures of appreciation and virtuousness are important traits to exhibit within networks. 

Friday, September 4, 2015

Friends, friendship and up-hills along the way

By Clive Mutame Siachiyako
Heart breaks are common among love relationships. A lot of youth have been thrown off balance by love affairs that go sour. Heart breaks simply result into frustrations, stress, and depression....a whole mix bag of reactions between two people formerly in love...in worse situations suicide.

Outside love relationship, friendship brings a ballad of frustrations among young people and generally across ages too. There are people we trust more than our family members. People whom we share almost everything.... we ride with them uphill journeys our family members wouldn’t want to offer a hand to see us through. A friend would stand by us, lift us up when we fall, laugh at us when we feel frustrated and help us regain balance, cheer us when we make it....they are “all weather buddies.”

When such a friend ‘betrays’ you or your trust in them; it’s perplexity cut deeper than a love relationship. There’s no better company than a true, honest and reliable friend [be if male or female friend]. Psychometricians sum it that “friendship can be the best true medicine for physical and mental health.” Why and how?  Strong social networks tend to lengthen survival when we grow old. Our network of friends will bring tidings in our lives all the way. Whereas ‘blood is thicker than water,’ true friendship derives lifetime fulfilment and pillar during and sunny rainy days.

 “Friends are the family we choose for ourselves.” A good friendship is indeed something to savour and protect. Even though humans can’t be 100% dependable, the closest we can get from true friendship need apt care and appreciation. The closer we get to someone, the more invested we become in their emotions and behaviour. We are far more likely to be reactive to our best of friends. When they aren’t feeling or acting quite themselves, they can incite feelings of frustration, judgement, competitiveness, or hurt in us.

Falling out of a friendship
Whereas love partners come and go....friends stay longer and tend to be more loyal.  How can you avoid a falling out with someone you’ve long trusted and cared about? Psychometrician Lisa Firestone [PhD] advices “start by accepting the fact that you can only change yourself. And, almost always, fixing a friendship is a matter of fixing yourself.” Why I am fighting with my friend? I am being fair, honest, trustable and appreciative?

What can I do then in my capacity to save my friendship? When a friendship show signs of going asunder; seek yourself in connection to where you have come from and what you want out of your friendship. Keeping in mind, friendship is something you can’t beg for. You can forget about it anyway, but basic wisdom reminds us that a “good name is more precious than pure gold.” Make amends with friends where you can. Don’t be too proud.

The ideas below can help build long term friendships. All friendships are built on different grounds, but some generic rules of the thumb can help us live happily with our buddies.

1. Be honest to each other: Any human co-existence thrives on trust. Friendship built on phony facades can’t last. It fizzles out shortly. Being honest to each other is premium. Set aside ego. It costs less being a true friend than hiding behind a ballad of lies and pretence which you have to cover up all the way. It will just make your life burdensome. Easy up, be yourself, ask tough questions if your friend acts strange.

2. Make amends: Friendship gives us an opportunity to know each others’ strengths and weaknesses. Meaning we can cheer them up when they are in their lowest ebb and tear them down as well. We aren’t perfect. We will step on each others’ toes. But when we do, we have to amend. Sorry truly heals a wound. Don’t be too proud, apologise when you error. If the other doesn’t want to come across and make amends, use wisdom and craftiness to put it across them to trigger reaction of the mistake. Don’t take forever angry with your friend. “Time is precious and not worth wasting, especially when it comes to the people who make us happy.”

3. Show Appreciation: Being close to someone at times makes us forget to show gratitude. We take it for granted, ‘it’s their duty to do good to me, why are they my friends?’ We also need time for friends. A lunch together, walk or phone call adds flavour to friendship nourishment.

“Generosity is the key to happiness,” Dr. Lisa notes in one of her writings. A true buddy shows interest in us: who we are, our struggles, and strengths. A friendship shouldn’t be one-sided. Never let it be self-focused. Take interest in your friends.

Why does it matter anyway?
 Medics indicate that “not maintaining friendships” is one of people’s biggest death-bed regrets. Keeping close friends is an essential part of life that gives us meaning and fulfilment. It’s no surprise that people who are most giving of themselves are the most liked. Thus, keeping a realistic, yet compassionate outlook on the world will inherently expand your own world, attracting others along the way. All of these characteristics are contagious: by being the kind of person you respect, you encourage others to do the same. VALUE friendship, it pays!! 

Entrepreneurship: Why Teaching it in Secondary Schools and Tertiary?

By Clive Mutame Siachiyako
Entrepreneurship has not only become a buzzword in political, social, economic or non-governmental spheres; but it is driven by a consensus that entrepreneurs are both inborn and taught or nurtured. There are people born from entrepreneurial families. They grew up seeing entrepreneurial ideas turned into something earning their families income. Others learn the art from friends, parents, or school. Coming from a less entrepreneurial historical background, Zambia is integrating entrepreneurship in the school system at varied levels. Some learners have however not seen the relevance of having entrepreneurship components in their programmes.

The decisive question is “in which subjects should entrepreneurship be introduced and taught in the high school curriculum?” As could be expected, there are several subjects and levels into which entrepreneurship can be integrated. While a full unit on entrepreneurship could be taught as a stand-alone [an independent course of study], this is not the only approach, or necessarily the most effective. Even if a free-standing course is provided in the curriculum, its effectiveness will be enhanced if entrepreneurial insights are provided throughout the entire curriculum. If entrepreneurship education is isolated in a single course, apart from the whole curriculum, it may be missed by many students who then would not profit from their potential development as enterprising individuals.

Entrepreneurship can be fused into different subjects to prepare learners to apply their entrepreneurial acumen within their professional practice. The following are some of the subjects it can be integrated. Reasons why there seem to be consensus why such combinations would better learners’ applicability of their entrepreneurial knowhow are explained below:

Business studies: Perhaps the most obvious place where entrepreneurship should be included is in the business studies curriculum. In addition to the creative and enterprising attributes, business studies will introduce the financial and human management skills that are necessary for the formation and survival of a new enterprise. Business studies should also allow learners to think of themselves as employers rather than employees in the market system. This view will enable the business studies learners to identify themselves with the important issues with which the entrepreneur must seize as part of the development of a business plan. These issues include new products, process innovation, employee training and management, financing the enterprise, and assessment of the marketplace. The desired outcomes of the business education course should include the students' ability to deal with the unknown in an enterprising way.

Economics: Financial literacy and economic concepts comprehension can be included into this course. Placing entrepreneurial concepts and the entrepreneurship savvy into the standard economics course not only makes the course more reflective of the real world, but it also can help to improve learners’ comprehension and enjoyment of the economics course. In economic , the links between the market and the entrepreneur need to be stressed.

"Placing entrepreneurial concepts and the entrepreneur into the standard economics course not only makes the course more reflective of the real world, but it also can help to improve students' comprehension and enjoyment of the economics course."

Governance: The action of government in creating and limiting the environment for entrepreneurship should be included in learning systems. Knowledge on how government regulations and taxes impact entrepreneurial environment are pertinent aspects to add to the curriculum. Regulation is a burden for all businesses, but more especially for small entrepreneurial ones that generally have less ability to bear the costs of compliance.

Comparative studies should be undertaken about the role of entrepreneurs under alternative political systems. Why has there been a movement toward the free market in command societies? To what extent is the existence of one kind of liberty essential for the presence of the other? Can government bureaucrats be entrepreneurial? These are just a few of the questions that might be posed in a government class with entrepreneurial content.

Psychology: Psychology is an excellent place for learners to understand the psychological characteristics of the entrepreneur and to assess their own characteristics and capacities to be entrepreneurial. A psychological subject that allows learners to develop their own concepts of self-worth and inner control would be a welcome addition to the process of entrepreneurship education.

Sociology: The study of the sociology of entrepreneurship is in its infancy, but there are several ideas that are consistent with the thrust of entrepreneurship education. Learners should realize that entrepreneurs shape and are shaped by the culture in which they live. One may ask: why do some ethnic groups seem to be more entrepreneurial than others? How does entrepreneurship permit minority groups to enter the economic and social mainstream? These are but two of the myriad questions that link entrepreneurship and sociology, and school programmes can now begin to explore them.

History: History subjects are a natural place within the curriculum to discuss how entrepreneurs have helped determine the course of human events. History lessons often focus on politicians, rulers, and military leaders. History teachers can do a great deal to expand the horizons of their learners by focusing on case studies of entrepreneurs who have contributed to the betterment of humankind. Case studies are particularly valuable if a variety of alternative stories are included that allow learners to relate to entrepreneurs of their same race and/or gender. Entrepreneurial history can help learners understand that most progress is made in small steps. While the "mega" innovations are important, progress really happens as ideas are adapted and refined. The cumulative process of improving and changing old ideas in an incremental way to better satisfy consumer or producer needs is the form most entrepreneurial activity takes and in so doing makes history.  

Science: Entrepreneurship can also be a thread woven into the fabric of science subjects. Since technological advance often begins with scientific insight and continues because of entrepreneurial persistence, learners should understand the relation between scientific discovery and entrepreneurship. Many of the great scientists were also entrepreneurs. They not only invented the product or technology but also brought it to the marketplace. Students should understand these relationships between the laboratory and the market.

Vocational/technical education: For many years, entrepreneurship has been an integral part of many vocational/technical programmes. The majority of western world learners [such as in American high schools] are enrolled in some vocational/ technical programmes. These offerings present an excellent opportunity for the spreading of entrepreneurship education over a significant number of students.

The focus of entrepreneurship education in the vocational/ technical curriculum has been narrow and limited to the teaching of skills needed to start and sustain a small business, but most vocational/technical programmes contain at least entrepreneurial elements. The curriculum should be broadened beyond skills training to include an understanding of how employees can be enterprising as well as units on the nurturing of entrepreneurial traits and characteristics.

Conclusion

Those who design secondary school curricula and beyond should make sure that entrepreneurship has its place in economics, business education, history, science, psychology, sociology, and vocational/technical education. Entrepreneurship is neither a separate nor an alien concept, but one that can enrich learners’ understanding of a variety of subjects in the regular curriculum. Perhaps more important, the study of entrepreneurship can demonstrate how enterprising behaviour can have a positive impact on society. Entrepreneurs are good models for learners to emulate. Courtesy: http://www.ncee.net/

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Where are the Zambian engineers…did they shift to somewhere unknown?

By Clive Mutame Siachiyako
Whenever there’s a problem in society, experts brain storm possible ways of improving the situation. When Ebola broke out in some African countries, medical doctors and auxiliary pundits were falling on each other in finding the answers that would save lives. Similarly, at local level, whenever there’s a disease outbreak usefulness of the medics is sought to avert the situation. 

Paradoxically, a strange silence has taken over from the time power supply hiccups emerged in Zambia. Engineers don’t seem to exist. Government equally doesn't seem to seek for answers from apt experts –engineers. By now a power deficit emergency fund would have been in place and engineers would have made themselves useful in getting around the power shortfall problem. Don’t we have engineers in the country? Does government have confidence in them? Why do they exist anyway if they can’t make themselves exceptionally useful in such times?

To add absurdity to it, the Zambia Electricity Supply and Corporation (ZESCO) doesn't talk about other sources of energy outside hydro power. If it does, where are the strategies to get to those power-generation and supply ends? Suppose rains get worse next year, what will happen? Are we getting back to firewood and disconnect the houses from hydro power system? What is ZESCO thinking? Since the corporation is mute on its power diversification strategy, it can be assumed it’s not thinking nor doing anything.

Diversification is a premium during ‘rainy days.’ Putting all eggs in one basket is very risky…it’s a daft way of living. In a country where there’s sunshine for almost 6 hours per day, diversify in solar power generation becomes cooler. ZESCO can think of solar houses to generate enough energy to cough-out the current deficit the country is experiencing. Time to sit and watch natural resources is long gone. Engineers have to get dirty and help minimise this power messy. Their fellow engineers in other countries are making breath taking breakthroughs that address daily problems society face. What’s wrong with the Zambian engineers? Are they half trained or the country has not provided them with arenas to apply themselves fully?

What about wind power? Doesn't Zambia have suitable points where windmills can be placed to generate the much needed power? Can’t we make use of those mountains (Zambezi and Muchinga) to trap wind and push out energy from it? Can someone start talking engineering solutions here? Why is there this daft silence when the country has a horde of engineers with so many specialities? This is depressing. The power supply is getting into an intensive care unit (ICU) situation and no one seems to care and get things moving. 

The Engineer Institute of Zambia (EIZ) has to throw its muscles here and get things moving. It has a plethora of engineering experts who can help sort of the power shortfall messy and save the economy. If nothing gets done soonest, the economy will be grounded. It’s general knowledge that energy drives almost all economic activities. Where are the viable energy generation and diversification plans that the country needs to get over this darkening of the country by ZESCO? 

The ministry of energy and water development has to rise up and get counted here. Talking alone isn't enough. We have had television and radio talking programmes enough!! It’s time to get into action. Why can’t we have an emergency energy fund immediately and get working? Why should we keeping on depending on rains which we don’t know how they will fall each season? We have other sources of energy. Let people struggle with hunger due to poor rainfall not a combination of hunger and power blackouts. 

Engineers’ competences alone aren't enough. Money is needed. Research too is needed. Do we have Energy Research Knowledge Centre somewhere at the ministry of energy and water development to gather knowledge on averting these energy lapses and generate a quantum savvy and steps to get around energy hiccups? Getting comfortable with nature’s failure to provide enough rainfall is a sign of total laziness. Nature doesn't only provide one source of energy. It’s us to use our heads and utilise what’s available to generate power. Sitting akimbo waiting for next rainy season is very bad way of planning and facing life. When someone spoke about plan B and C they meant having a broader view of things and never to put all eggs on one basket. 

In such matters even getting a loan specifically to establish alternative energy plants was necessary. The current power supply situation is nauseating to the economy. Imagine barbershop owners, metal fabricators, salon owners and butchery businesses…how do they sustain their businesses and provide for their families? Those are the jobs the economy need, which are dying in large numbers due to power outages. Is someone not doing some economic analysis at higher level to advice the system? What’s going on?

I have heard news about private individuals committing their money in setting up solar plants here and there. That’s great! But private capital comes with fastest recoup time frame. It means higher cost of the power. Are the low income people going to manage to access the power under the private hands? No of course!! Why is ZESCO seeming allergic to power diversification? What’s wrong with this company? Is it lack of power-generation-vision or something is blinding them?

It’s simply baffling.