Understanding the rise in youth begging

By Esther Misheck Nyanja

For some time now, begging among young people has become increasingly common, especially on social media. Hardly a day passes without seeing posts from young people asking for money, school fees, business capital, medical expenses, or other forms of financial assistance.

While helping people in genuine need is an important value, there are growing concerns that this trend could create a culture where some young people depend on handouts instead of hard work, creativity, and self-reliance.

Social media has changed the way people ask for help. In the past, people mainly sought assistance from family members, communities, or religious institutions. Today, platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, WhatsApp, and X make it possible to reach thousands of people, including business leaders, celebrities, and public figures. As a result, online appeals for financial support have become more common. In some cases, a single post can attract financial support within a short time.

Journalist and lawyer, Gospel Gerald Kanyama, says the problem is not only about poverty. While financial hardship is a reality for many young people, he believes some have developed a sense of entitlement, expecting others to help them instead of working hard to improve their own lives.

He says some unemployed graduates and trained professionals lose hope when they fail to find jobs in their preferred fields. Instead of looking for other opportunities, learning new skills, or starting small businesses, some turn to social media to ask for financial help.

 According to Kanyama, young people need to be flexible and willing to explore different ways of earning a living.

Kanyama: The problem is not only poverty (Photo Credit)

Kanyama also says social media has changed people’s attitude towards begging. In the past, it was difficult for ordinary people to reach wealthy individuals directly. Today, digital platforms make it easy for anyone to ask successful people for financial assistance.

He says because some influential people regularly give money or gifts online, begging has become more visible and, for some, more acceptable. “It has become fashionable for some people to ask for money online because they believe someone will eventually come to their rescue,” says Kanyama.

He also links the trend to the growing popularity of digital content creation. According to him, many young people see influencers becoming successful after creating viral content, but they often overlook the hard work, patience, and consistency needed to achieve that success. 

Social media usually shows the rewards but not the effort behind them. Kanyama adds that not everyone asking for help online is living in extreme poverty. While some genuinely need support, others may simply be trying to maintain lifestyles influenced by what they see on social media.

“Some people are not necessarily looking for survival, but a softer life,” he says.

However, journalist Theresa Mwagomba, believes the issue should be looked at from different angles. She says while some young people may feel entitled, it is also important to understand the economic challenges facing many members of Generation Z.

According to Mwagomba, poverty, unemployment, the high cost of living, and limited job opportunities have placed many young people in difficult situations. For some, asking for help online may seem like the only option. She says many are willing to work but struggle to find employment or access the resources needed to start businesses.

She says poverty alone does not explain the growing culture of dependency. There is also a need to encourage creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship among young people.

“Creativity means identifying one’s talents, gaining practical skills, pursuing education or vocational training, and finding ways to create opportunities instead of waiting for them,” she says.

Skills development can change mindset of the youth (Photo Credit: Internet)

Mwagomba says many young people have talent and good ideas but lack mentorship, financial knowledge, exposure, and access to resources that could help them turn those ideas into successful businesses. With the right support, many could create jobs for themselves and others.

She also warns that relying on handouts and donor support for a long time can create dependency. While assistance is important during difficult times, she says it should go together with skills development and empowerment programmes that help people become self-reliant.

At the same time, she says young people should not carry the responsibility alone. Government, private institutions, families, schools, and communities all have a role to play by creating employment opportunities, supporting entrepreneurship, providing vocational training, and offering mentorship.

Both Kanyama and Mwagomba agree that parents also have an important role    in shaping children’s attitudes towards work. They encourage parents to teach values such as discipline, responsibility, creativity, and the importance of earning through hard work from an early age.

In the end, helping those in need is important, but it should also encourage hard work and self-reliance. Giving young people the right skills and opportunities can help them build a better future instead of depending on handouts.