THE STRUGGLES OF THE ADULTHOOD
Housing in Malawi is becoming a huge problem. Not only is the land for building becoming scarce but so are places of accommodation. Population is rising and creating a worse scenario.
That aside, the youth are finding adulthood to be more nerve wrecking than imagined. How does one really become an adult if they are forced to still be raised by their parents? That is by far what the young men and women of this era are looking for. ‘Independence’ is the correct term to use here.
Landlords are being a bit too picky when it comes to selecting a tenant. They want a thorough background check on their potential tenants. The answer to one question alone is what determines whether you can get a house or not and also the provision of evidence that you earn an honest living and have a decent reputation. This is proving to be a big problem for today’s youth.
“Ever since I started working, I have been looking for a job but to no success.” said Janet Mbwadzulu, from Lilongwe. Mbwadzulu works at a nationally and internationally recognised organisation. The resources she has but it’s the house that is proving to be difficult.
“It's not that I haven’t found a house because I have. In fact I found two. The first one, I was about to make a down payment, then I was asked ‘are u married?’ and I honestly said no. Then and there, the landlords told me I could not occupy the house for they were looking for someone who was married. This happened to me with the second house too.” She continued to explain.
Most of our youth, are being denied accommodation because they are not married and this has forced others to lie that they are.
“I believe this question has its ways in which you should respond to” said one young man, whose job is to help people find places to stay. “The best answer is to tell them that you have a wife but she’s away at school but I have sent word for to be there when the time comes to move”.
This is forcing young men and women to pick a friend and present them as their life partners just so they secure their accommodation.
Although this is happening, at a talk show on MBC Radio, the State President, Dr Bingu Wamutharika, mentioned that the government is working on a plan to help the youth find houses on loans, upon completion of their higher education. Since this announcement, no change has been seen.
If our youth cannot find houses, they are forced to continue living with their parents or relatives. The longer this will continue, the more forced they are to act out of character like; having to lie they are married, spending most nights or out or just get married so they meet the requirements of most landlords and can get a house.
