By Elcah Barasa

Why did you apply for the mentorship program? My interview started with this straightforward question to Julius Makanga.

By Elcah Barasa

Why did you apply for the mentorship program? My interview started with this straightforward question to Julius Makanga.

“For me, growing up as a child I did not have someone to look up to except our primary school head teacher. Besides being a powerful teacher, he owned the only posho mill [maize flour] and bar in our village. Back at school he decided who to remain in school and who to be send home for school fees – poor parents begged him to allow their kids in school.”

“He also spoke the best English in the entire village - he used to warn us about what he called diction; we had to speak like the queen herself. It is from him that I learnt the word CANTANKEROUS – he spoke big English when describing our parents. He was the epitome of power, success and wealth in our entire village and so I wanted to be like him”

Julius says that his decision to become a teacher was largely inspired by his lack exposure to many different careers in life. He also grew believing that people had to be employed after schooling – it did not occur to him that he could venture into self employment and be his own boss.

He’s been teaching in a primary school for two years but has started to venture into farming, both on his own farm cultivating onions and as a consultant to other farms.

The process of changing his current career and rediscovering himself on his own has been really scary, so the YPARD mentoring program has already been a big help.

Julius has a strong conviction that agriculture can help many jobless youths.

“The huge potential of the sector is untapped unlike in other sectors, which are flooding with people. By doing things differently and joining the sector that has been neglected by many, youth can create employment for themselves.”

Julius wants to expand his knowledge and understanding of the agricultural sector in order to increase his opportunities.

He therefore hopes to acquire better knowledge and skills in farming and entrepreneurship in order to create a sustainably managed business. And he hopes to harvest and market his first produce soon.

Elcah Barasa is an International Relations student at the Technical University of Kenya. She keeps indigenous chicken and as a blogger, she emerged the best female blogger in YoBloco Awards by CTA in 2014." Follow her at @Elcah_barasa and https://elcah.wordpress.com/