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Chengula: Why I left Dar behind to embrace new beginning in Sweden
Jackson Chengula
What you need to know:
- He wanted to pursue journalism; his interest in mass communication had become apparent, and he had a natural talent for his oratory skills, the very skills that would prove essential later in his life.
More than a decade ago, Jackson Chengula was at a crossroads. A young man with a whole life ahead of him, Dar es Salaam was his playground; life was not necessarily tough for him, but the city had become stagnant for him.
He wanted to pursue journalism; his interest in mass communication had become apparent, and he had a natural talent for his oratory skills, the very skills that would prove essential later in his life.
However, some people in his circle somehow convinced him not to study journalism. Like many young people of his time, Mr Chengula was waking up to the fact that life is not a bed of roses, time is not infinite, and if he has to make his path, he has to find new challenges, and whatever the next step he would take, that would determine his whole future ahead.
His brother had moved to Sweden as a professional footballer, and he thought he should visit him and take a break from Dar es Salaam. That was 13 years ago; today Mr Chengula is attending vocational training, studying concrete technology, and learning more about the construction industry, a lucrative field that promises a good pay day, the money he now needs as a father to a young daughter who is about to turn one.
He has worked in many sectors of the factories and industrial machinery. From folk lifting to hydraulic press machines, he has mastered machines he would have never dreamed of while in Dar es Salaam.
He is now an apprentice in tunnel construction that is currently ongoing in Stockholm, a valuable on-the-job training that is also part of his studies. He is accumulating and diversifying his skills; he wants to make sure he is versatile. He now works at a brewery as he is studying.
Mr Chengula has always been good with words; his oratory ability was advantageous when it came to immigration interviews when he was seeking a residence permit.
Unlike many other Africans who chose to overstay their visa or sneak into Europe, he did everything by the book, and within 7 months he was able to get his residence permit, and he could officially earn a living. That was more than 10 years ago when he joined the Tanzanian diaspora in Sweden.
He vowed to pave his path in life, leaving behind the successful businesses in Dar es Salaam that his father had established to start a whole new life across the ocean. He would realise that the glamorous lives shown in Western films about America and Europe were illusions. “Hollywood had brainwashed us, and many people back home still think life in the West is all milk and honey; that’s not the case,” he said.
Some Tanzanians would even make derogatory statements like it is better being born a dog in Europe than a human in Africa. These comments often lack sensitivity and are delivered in a backhanded manner.
Mr Chengula would wake up from the fantasy, and soon he would realise that nothing comes easy. He has to constantly stay on his toes, learning new skills and seizing any opportunity.
Now he truly sees Africa as the home of opportunities; he plans to invest in Tanzania, optimistic that the situation with the law regarding the diaspora community’s ability to invest and buy land will be favourable.
He has already seen promising signs that the investment environment is more acceptable to the Tanzanians in the diaspora; prominent Tanzanian banks have visited them in Stockholm, elaborating on new banking avenues that are tailor-made for the diaspora, and real estate companies selling apartments in Zanzibar have also showcased the available apartments for the diaspora community to buy.
He still doesn’t understand why Tanzania has dual citizenship or at least a special status for its people living abroad. “All other countries neighbouring Tanzania have it; why not us” he said.
Mr Chengula is a transformed man now that he is a father. He says maturity is not a matter of age but decisions and principles in life. He sees a lot of Tanzanians in Sweden who have prospered in life at a young age and decided to settle down; at the same time, the opposite is true.
He is a natural-born hustler; he expects nothing to be handed out to him. If you give me 500, I would want to know where you got that I would go get it for myself,” he said.
The type of mentality that has made him obsessed with acquiring more knowledge in different fields. He is part of a big Tanzanian community in Sweden, a diverse group of people, but knowing who to associate with is key to the life you lead.
Some people are purpose-driven, determined to make money and invest back home; unfortunately, other Tanzanians there have a cavalier attitude towards their future, descending into drug use and alcoholism.
He had to learn quickly which crowd to hang with. Some people have gone crazy living life in Europe. The lack of a support system and busy lifestyle in solitude can drive one crazy, he lamented.
Unfortunately, some of the Tanzanian diaspora community are not as united as he would like to see.
He gives an example of the Eritrean community in Sweden that is flourishing, building businesses and unions to support each other; he would like to see the Tanzanian community do that as well. It is clear that self-reflection and healing are needed within their community; some Tanzanians there have faced so many disappointments that it has changed their good hearts into stone-cold selfish individuals. It’s a matter of survival of the fittest.
Jealousy comes into play as well when they see one prospering; some cookouts and party gatherings are just avenues to show off one’s perceived success. It always comes from the less successful Tanzanians; those who have sponsored are less bothered by the bickering, internal conflicts, and rumour-mongering but choose to live a peaceful life far removed from the diaspora chaos.
He chose to be closer to God and build an immune system to keep depression at bay. He has his highs and lows, but he has learned to be grounded, and now he is all smiles in the presence of his newborn daughter.
He has now rejuvenated his passion for journalism, doing podcasts showcasing life in Sweden and Europe as a whole.
His target base is Swahili-speaking countries, from the DRC and, Kenya to Tanzania, and the whole of East Africa is his potential audience.
He is also reaching out to successful Tanzanians living in Sweden who are willing to share their success story with young Tanzanians and inspire their lives.
He has just filmed the debut episode that he hopes to load online soon. He is thrilled to bring his potential in media to life, he sees people in Europe taking podcasting as a full-time job and he knows he can do so.
He sees the potential in his idea to garner followers; a lot of young people in East Africa have a fantasy of what Europe and he is in a position to show the reality of life in Europe.
He wants to show the history of Sweden, the historical buildings and the amazing history of the Viking legacy, filming an in-depth view of life there.
He enjoys the new avenue in podcasting he is exploring; his love for it makes it an easier and more natural thing to do. He wants his content creation to be less scripted and more like a freestyle, with no limitation to what he can do or where he can go.
He wants to visit Moscow, Russia, Budapest, Ibiza, and other places and share his world with the Swahili-speaking audience.
He has multiple ideas for his online channel and has built a credible team around it to fully monetise his content.
He is optimistic about the future, and he knows his podcast will connect the Tanzanian diaspora to Tanzanians back home.
