Zambia is one of the fastest-growing economies in Southern Africa. But despite its economic growth largely due to the large deposit of copper mine and Agriculture, It is one of the poorest countries in the World.
It is estimated that over 60 percent of Zambians live below poverty lines, so surviving in Zambia needs a lot of skills, adaptation, and networking.
With the population of Zambia currently on the rise, especially as the fertility rate is rising, some Zambians are already adapting to the new economic realities by developing some survival strategies to keep themselves on top during harsh conditions.
If you are living in the villages where there is an inadequate sewage system and some people do not have access to clean water, you have to learn how to swim and make friends with the River. Swimming is an adaptation that most young people in some Zambian villages learn early in life.
Apart from swimming, you have to learn long-distance trekking, even in the honeycomb of Zambia (Lusaka), if you are a young graduate searching for Job opportunities, you have to adapt to long-distance trekking; a trekker, I met recently informed me that long-distance trekking is good both for the pocket and for the body. And she was even planning on starting a movement ‘Trekk More, save more, Be healthy’ in down-town Lusaka.
If you are living in a village like Bemba village where grass thatched roof and mud houses are one of the most prominent features, you need to learn the skill of respect; because there, respect for elders is paramount. People must see and know you as someone who respects elders before they can make any recommendations on your behalf.
To survive in Zambia you have to be a Marketeer; People in Zambia love to buy things, you can sell almost anything if you develop a good marketeering attitude. A recent graduate of Law, from Cavendish University Zambia, has been in the business of Marketeering for many years, she started from selling charcoal to local communities, to becoming a supplier of charcoal to some big companies.
To survive in Zambia you have to be tech-savvy and be willing to submit yourself to Bongo hive or any other hub for assistance and guidance because as a tech-savvy, it is very difficult to survive alone.
To survive in Zambia you need education, not just the one you acquire from school but street education. You have to know when to stay and when to run. Street education will assist you to understand your surroundings and predict what will happen where and when.
You need to develop a consistent attitude because there are thousands of factors that will discourage you from achieving your aim. Always remember this, without consistency, it is practically impossible to achieve anything.