6 reasons to let your child be an artist for a living in Zimbabwe

Let's face it, they are going to do what they want anyway. (At least I know I am.)
If they are really the strong, independent, young adults you raised them to be (and you know you did your best!) they are going to do what they want regardless. Take it as a compliment, you raised a human being who can make up his/her own mind and is immune to the status quo in a world where people make decisions based on fear of everything from disappointing others to the anxiety over upcoming economic downturns. Congratulations, you raised a leader. The worst you can do during this time is to ask your child why they can't just "be like everyone else." Statements like these are as good as telling this big-dreaming child of yours that somehow because they dare to stand out from the crowd, they are inadequate. But your biggest offense here is insulting generations upon generations of innovation by stating that mediocrity is the key to happiness and progress.

What are you really scared of? For some, it is the image they have of the "artist"; scrawny, unkempt, wanderers usually donning a head full of natural hair and ripped jeans, (You don't understand the look so you scorn it.) For some it is the controversy, you don't want to be the one driving to the police station to bail out your daughter who was locked up for her latest creative bout of defamation. So you avoid the whole route altogether. Let her be an accountant, she can learn to express herself using numbers. She will be happy there eventually, right?  Okay, that's fine, as long as you admit to your child that your decision is based solely on your own fear, and has nothing to do with their ability or skill. Can you do that? No, I thought not. So here is your next port of call- an art gallery.  To prove yourself wrong, see the type of people you come across. I can almost guarantee you that if you so much as say "Hello" you will not leave that place without having one of the most profound/ memorable/ enlightening conversations of your life thus far. Go on, I dare you.

What's the worst that could happen?  At which most well-meaning parents in this predicament would respond "I don't want my child to be poor√¢‚Ǩ¬¶." But think about it, how many "professionals" are unemployed in this country? As high as our literacy rate is and as many students shy away from the arts, the unemployment rate is still over an astounding 80%. Success now isn't defined by the degree you choose, it is defined by something else that's a lot more personal and less mechanical.

My friend Marjorie (who actually studied Art as a career option!) told me this a few days ago, "Times will get hard, no matter which profession you are in, if you are doing something you love you will have the strength to keep going compared to when you are trapped in a career you don't really care about."

 Do you want to know why there are fewer rich people compared the poorer (unhappy) majority?
Well, it's because there are less people walking the harder road that is more true to them than those following the crowd because it is more convenient. And that's the way it is meant to be. Think of it as a sieve to separate those who really want to make an impact from those that are in their profession because their parents said it would be a good idea. The ones who are not in it with all their hearts will fall away eventually in the race and form the low to middle class, while those with bigger dreams are relentless in their pursuit of what they know to be right for them and will usually come out at the top. Think of R.K Rowling, Steve Jobs etc.

My mentor (Kweku Mandela), taught me this when I was about to start the project, AfroFresco, and I was nervous and scared of failing. He said, (with all the confidence in the world) "There is no way this will fail if you work hard and you don't give up."

There you have it- Passion breeds resilience, a trait that is vital for success in our economic times.

Trust that your child isn't as oblivious as you assume. If you are still not convinced and are looking around at how impossible the prospects of artists Zimbabwe are, then look at it this way- if you can see it, your child can too. If your child was there in 2008 and saw you struggle through the uncertain times, if your child watched media coverage of the elections and heard it over and over again from all sources that the future is bleak, then maybe they do know what they are getting themselves into. They are not walking into this blind- they are just as Zimbabwean as you and living through the same struggles.

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho   
Simply put- everyone is on their own journey and will only be truly happy when they are doing what they were born to do. We all have a path we ought to take to reach greatness, if you ignore it you will never truly be happy, if you follow it, all good things will EVENTUALLY be yours. It's called "Maktub", Destiny. Your child has one too.

Zimbabwe needs a new face.  Your country needs a better image than the one portrayed in international media, more than you need a child who is a teacher or lawyer etc. These are rivers that run deeper than the one lifetime you see your child living. I have asked this question to many people several times in the past few months, "In relation to the arts, what is the most Zimbabwean thing you know?" most will chirp in "Oliver Mtukudzi, Chiwoniso Maraire, or Winky D", but the truth is, unlike other countries that have invested in their arts, Zimbabwe has a smaller range of things to choose from. And the few things we have may not even be that renowned on a large-scale international level, the way Youssou N'dour from Senegal is, or P Square from Nigeria is becoming. It's time we as a nation started taking risks to do our Arts bigger and better. If your child wants to join the movement, let them. This is about a nation that needs a few hit songs on international TV stations to be proud of, and more fashion designers impacting today's looks.

If done right, this is going to make the difference between whether or not those that leave the nation in search of greener pastures will ever feel a sense of pride in Zimbabwe enough to come back and give this place a second chance. Nigeria did it right and they have recently been experiencing an influx of young entrepreneurs returning from abroad to rebuild the country. Why can't that be us? Why not let your child rebrand the country?

I should mention now that this task may not be easy for most parents, and that's alright because often the right thing to do is the hardest to follow through with. Take your time, think about it, and don't make any decisions based on fear. Your child's passion may seem unwise when all you have ever known is the road that was paved for you; the one that was a bit more obvious. Through it all remember that most insanely successful careers start of like this- with a seemingly insane idea that most do not understand.

Don't stand in the way of greatness.

A.P. (19) is an alumni of the African Leadership Academy in Johannesburg South Africa. She is passionate about Arts in Africa. For more information on her project or to make a contribution to AfroFresco (the movement) like the page www.facebook.com/afrofresco or send an email to afrofresco@gmail.com