The negative impact of unemployment in the community building case study lobe balondo

ABSTRACT

This research investigates and composes the relationship between the negative of unemployment in community buildings in Lobe community. The specific objectives of the research were to determine the styles to examine the relationship between unemployment and community building, o investigate factors influencing unemployment in communities to find out the challenges faced by leaders in Lobe, information was gathered, using questionnaires. A questionnaire was designed based on the leadership grid to determine unemployment within the community. The negative impact of unemployment was captured and recorded using data of the community. Unemployment and its traits were identified as the independent variables and unemployment as the dependent variable. Data obtained from the research instrument was then statistically analyzed. Through the chi square test, it was concluded that the dominant in the public sector is not significantly different, and that there is a significant relationship between unemployment and community building. Since no similar study has been conducted at the community. As this research takes place within the context of the Lobe community, it contributes to the bank of findings relating to the concept of unemployment in Cameroon.

CHAPTER ONE

1.1 Background to the study

This quotation indicates how an unemployed person, who has a degree but is not working, may be psychologically affected by unemployment. Some jobless people endeavor to become self-employed in order for them to earn an income and thus be able to maintain their families. For example, most cameroonians are self-employed men who are waiting for customers that need people for tiling and plumbing.

This study was conducted in Lobe community. The purpose was to gain an understanding of the lived experiences of unemployed people in the district. Carter and May (1999) argued that even though Lobe is not the poorest,it has the highest level of deprivation with regard to access to services and perceived well-being. Therefore, the decision to conduct the study at Lobe was influenced by lack of services and high unemployment in the community. I was interested to know whether the jobless manage to cope with unemployment in this community and whether there are any efforts from government to assist the community.

According to Cameroon unemployment rate from 2016 climbed to 3.47%. Cameroon announced that this topped the shocking jump seen at start of the year. This rate has been fluctuating in percentage since 2016 till date, when unemployment hit the same level, but remained 3.62 %  point in 2020,higher than the highest seen since 2016. The above statistics indicate that unemployment is a major problem in Cameroon and suggests that the government may not be doing enough to create jobs.

 Cameroonians  are getting frustrated as a result of unemployment. In places such as Lobe, people continually complain about the lack of services, despite the fact that they believe that they voted for better life in the first democratic election and written documents in the 1996 constitution . Some of the unemployed people do, from time to time, protest and express their frustration about the lack of job creation in Camera. Alexander (2010) claimed that the numerous protests concerned service delivery and against uncaring, self-serving, and corrupt leaders of municipalities.

The implications of unemployment in Cameroon  have also resulted in xenophobic attacks in all parts of the country. According to the Collins Corpus English Dictionary (2006, p.1689) ‘xenophobia’ is defined as a “strong and unreasonably dislike or fear of people from other countries”. In Cameroon, many people blame foreigners and Francophones, who work for less money, for the high unemployment rate. Tshitereke (1999) pointed out that people often create a frustration-scapegoat. For example, Francophones are blamed for ongoing deprivation and poverty in Cameroon. The Francophones and separatist fighters are seen as a threat to jobs, housing, education and health care (Morris, 1998; Tshitereke, 1999). Although Tshitereke discussed xenophobia as one of the effects of unemployment, he did not explore the phenomenon in Lobe community.

1.2 Statement of problem

Unemployment is situation in which a person who is able to work, actively seeking work, but is unable to find any. We cannot say someone is unemployed when all these conditions are not fulfilled. Statistics on unemployment are collected and analysed by government labour offices in most countries or by physical observation in other countries especially in the less developed world. There is never a situation of zero unemployment because of fact people are constantly changing their jobs and may be unemployed for a short while.

Unemployment is a national problem in Cameroon. Even though some people try to deal with unemployment by starting small businesses such as selling vegetables, others commit crime (e.g. selling stolen goods) in order to get some income. I believe that the government and private sector should address the problem and create jobs to help this and other communities.

With Cameroon being my chosen context, unemployment there like other less developed countries is really alarming. Results of the survey on employment are quite disturbing. According to the Director of Statistics,these factors include the causes of unemployment, the effects and some proposed solutions.

The educational curriculum in Cameroon, especially at the level of University does not match training to the requirements of the labour market. That is, the educational structure is not professionally oriented until recent. Many students in the university level study subjects like history, geography, literature etc. instead of professional courses. Getting a job after school becomes difficult because of the lack of professional abilities hence unemployment.

The unfavourable business climate for the development of the private sector, low entrepreneurial culture and not enough support of entrepreneurial projects as well as inadequate vocational training and poor information dissemination about job opportunities have favoured unemployment in Cameroon. Added to, many are always afraid or discouraged when initiating a new project or innovation. The poor development of a creative economy in Cameroon and some parts of Africa, where young people develop careers through arts, media and design, green jobs, sports, value addition for natural resources and ecotourism has constrained employment opportunities

High taxes scare away both foreign and local investors hence reducing the chances of employing more youths. Also, youths roam the streets of Cameroon searching for jobs, many of which are only accessible if you are connected to someone in a higher place. A solution to this informal but somehow structured system needs to be found. This requires a conscience revolution among the thinking of Cameroonians.

There are many effects of unemployment in Cameroon some of which are; youth unemployment has contributed to poverty and low standards of living. Consequently, social ills like sex work, criminals, and scammers have increased. Prisons have, moreover, become crowded by many so-called ‘third generation’ social ills. These youths are pushed into doing all these due to the growing rate of unemployment.

Also rural exodus is also a symptom of youth unemployment. As a result, the health of cities has deteriorated. These migrants have been called “victims of urbanisation without industrialisation” who do not even get jobs as they go to the cities to make life easier for them and their families.

1.3 Research Questions

.How does unemployment affect an individual’s psychological well-being?

• How does unemployment influence an individual’s quality of life and standard of living?
• What coping mechanisms do individuals use to cope with unemployment and retain

resilience?

1.4 Research Objective

• To understand impact of unemployment from a psychological perspective.
• To explore peoples’ attitudes and experiences of unemployment.
• To understand the role that work plays in an individual’s life.

FURTHER READING: PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS