Youths reap dividends of digital economy

Their mastery of ICTs is fast becoming a lucrative source of livelihood.

With the world currently witnessing rapid transformation into a global village, the impact of the social media is easily discernible with people becoming much more glued to their phones and laptops than before. But, one would wonder if the intimacy to one’s phone is only to communicate with friends or for other motives. A case in point revolves on youths.

Cognizant that more and more students graduate from universities each year, employment and mere survival becomes imperative. And with white collar jobs becoming as rare as crocodile's tears, some youths and graduates are seeking for other avenues to make money, fend for them to keep life going instead of waiting on Government to create jobs.

Talking to some youths in the Molyko University neighborhood of Buea, CT gathered that for varied reasons, their involvement in ICTs (Information Communication Technologies) has become part and parcels of their lives. Most of them, especially graduates, said they make a livelihood from their knowledge on ICTs. Because the University of Buea has gone completely digital, from the level of fee payment, registration and checking of results, a couple of young men are making ends meet for themselves by 'helping' students go through this process for a fee.

Especially those who have no knowledge on how to go about this process. Emmanuel Gwan, a graduate from the University of Buea confided that even while a student, he helped his colleagues in the online registration process. “Now, I assist them to register and print their school fee receipts. This business helps me to make ends meet.” Apart from the UB processes, there are a couple of software which have been created to advertise jobs. One of these is the ‘Sellam quick.com’. The software sells goods and services online and also places job applications online.

'Mapanjobs.com' is software which was created to advertise only jobs. Some graduates go online to search for such websites to find jobs which they may be eligible to apply. There is also 'ABC Staffing.com' which is software which allows companies to put up adverts seeking applicants. Recently, some Government ministries placed their information and jobs on-line because they believe it will have a wider audience through the social media.

Other youths use the internet to play games online. Parifoot is a foot ball staking game to make money. Some who are very involved in it say it is a lucrative business. Akwene Leonard, a graduate from the University of Buea works in Parifoot where people stake on matches before they are played live. The more people they have, the more they make money especially during weekends when people come to play weekend matches. “The business helps me a lot to pay my house rents and other personal needs.”

A great disadvantage in this knowledge is that some rascals get themselves involved in cyber criminality instead of using the knowledge to help themselves. Some women go into Twitter, Facebook and Whatsup to seek for life partners.