Jobs and Prospects

I've been asked for jobs a lot.  All sorts of young men who I meet ask politely but firmly if I can help them find work.  On the one hand I can see this as an encouraging thing: they're looking for work, not simply a handout, right?  But at the same time, it reflects their feeling that there are so few opportunities for young men here.  As a white foreigner, I represent an obvious first step for them in making their lives better.  It's inspiring and depressing all at once.  

The jobs conversation typically progresses from me asking about their education and where they've looked to me explaining my work here and how I don't actually have any jobs to give or connections I could make for them.  If the conversation continues long enough, they might ask for help getting to the U.S.  They are certain that if I can help them get established, they'll be able to find a job.  I don't deny for a second that my own prospects are much, much better than theirs.  But I want them to believe they have opportunity here.

Saturday night I saw a film that relates to this issue, that many young Sierra Leoneans only see hope when they look overseas.  The film was a documentary called "Babylon Illusion" that addresses the inflated perception many young Sierra Leoneans have of life in the west.  It was made by a Sierra Leonean who studied in the U.K. for a few years and compares the perceptions of the youth living in Freetown with accounts from Sierra Leoneans who moved to London.  The youth interviewed for the film in Freetown believe they'll make it big and have an easy life if they can just get to the west.  Those already in the U.K. tell of the difficult lives they have abroad.

As the filmmaker explained, he wanted to show the youth that life abroad isn't a gilded Eden.  He was creating a sort of public service announcement.  I can't say whether it will be effective in helping the youth refocus on their prospects here, but I'm left wondering what good alternatives there are for the young men here in Sierra Leone.