I’m seated on a couch in my house as I am supposed to, given the lockdown. While I am thinking about all the things that worry me right now, because I never thought I would live through a pandemic, I wonder “What are my friends feeling?” So, I do what any young person would do in 2020, I go to my social media, make a poll on Instagram and ask, “What worries you as a young person during this pandemic?”
Most of them replied saying “I am worried about the economic crisis.” And you know what? That is exactly what worries me, I have several worries, but they all come down to my financial situation. However, it was the answers talking about the social crisis that caught my attention. Among these were things such as the killing of social leaders, the food insecurity many are going through right now, and poverty.
I did some research and I found some realistic ways of helping others whilst staying at home. The first thing you can do is buy groceries for one family; it might not seem like a lot to you, but you are impacting the lives of a whole family. If each person (who has the resources) donates food to one family the impact would be huge and would cover the needs of many at least for a while.
On the other hand, along with the groceries, donating kits to grow veggies and fruits at home is a sustainable and cheaper way to have a more balanced diet. The average growing time is about two months, however, from there on it is faster to harvest.
When it comes to the killing of social leaders and many other social issues in our communities, the one thing you can do right now is to educate yourself and educate those around you. If you have scientific facts, statistics, and critical reasoning you can teach others without having to argue about political parties or leaders. The facts will lead others to vote for the right people in the administration and care about these issues. Also, they will help you to advocate for yourself and others in the near future.
Many of these difficulties occur because of the lack of education and opportunities in many countries. Without education, there is not a good job, without a good job you do not have a good income. Therefore, people look for other ways to make more money, which sometimes are illegal, dangerous and affect the lives of tons of people. If we vote for better leaders, who put education first, I am sure there will be a dramatic change.
Last but not least, the financial crisis. During this time of confinement grow professionally yourself, learn new skills, improve your portfolio (no matter what your career path is you can always have a portfolio) read articles which can help the process, watch videos, there are plenty of resources online that are free. Volunteer your time, get an internship remotely, even if it’s unpaid (set limits). These people will get to know you and could potentially offer you a job or direct you to a job. Reach out to your network, family, friends, mention to everyone that you are looking for a job and your chances to find something will be higher.
If you are in severe need, do not lose hope, many companies are hiring essential employees everywhere around the world. This might not be the ideal job, but it can help out for a little while you find something better and the situation stabilizes.
I hope you get inspired and try to make a change, every effort matters!
