What's better than doing what you love, the freedom of being your own boss and getting paid for it? For some, it's a dream, nothing more. While for others, it is a very real reality in the form of self-employment. Being self-employed involves carrying out particular jobs for different organizations in a particular period instead of being a permanent employee of a single organization. In simpler terms, it means being self-employed like a mercenary for hire, but it's legal. The rapid emergence and spread of self-employment in today's world can be attributed to the Internet and all that comes with it; blogs, as well as social media, but freelance work dates back to medieval times according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, and the first written evidence of "freelance" comes from Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe, in which a lord refers to his salary. the army as “freelancers”. Since then, self-employment has undergone various changes due to modernization, with its spread across various sectors of the public and private sectors, from health and agriculture, to photography, graphics, writing, construction, contraction, web design and even economics. Although self-employment is a common way of earning a living in developed parts of the world, in Africa it is still underutilized and is like a gold mine waiting to be explored if one has the tools. and appropriate information. So where is this gold mine and how can I access it, you ask? Sit back, relax, grab a pen and a book, and open your mind while I show you the way. Self-employment is a rapidly emerging activity in Africa and, if not fully exploited, can lead to even worse economic conditions than those Africa faces today. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get an original essay To avoid this, we need to enlighten and promote it as a legitimate and lucrative activity that can help reduce the rate of unemployment and increase business income. some, and educational assistance in the case of students or uneducated people working for independent businesses. The individual can do what they love, develop their skills, use their creativity and of course, make money. But how does this happen? How can your “hobby” earn you a living? Currently, Africa faces the challenge of rising unemployment rates, which are expected to reach 7.2 percent in 2018, with one million new entrants into the jobless population according to the International Labor Organization (ILO). . The ratio between qualified people and the number of available jobs is very disparate and the labor market is gradually shrinking. It makes sense how the interest and hope of many graduates and other unskilled workers may have shifted from the need to find their "bread and butter" from paid employment to a more flexible means of independent freelance work, which would reduce the tension. unemployment in the labor market and contribute to offering a wider range of services to consumers. Freelancing offers the freedom of having to work from anywhere, at your own pace, making it very attractive to modern youth. As a freelancer, you can work during your most productive hours and this does not necessarily have to be between 9am and 5pm as a regular job requires, as every individual is different and, therefore, has productive hoursvariables. Another great feature of this job is that you become your own boss and keep a large portion of the profits. Otherwise, fixed prices are available for your negotiation, no one needs to micromanage you and the decision and responsibility for your work rests on your shoulders. , thus giving everyone a sense of accomplishment of directly controlling their own life. It also offers a “choice” of clients and jobs, as the freelancer is able to assess employment conditions and the nature of clients before application. So, how much can a freelancer earn? According to a study done by Contently: The state of freelancing in 2015, after surveying 643 freelancers to show freelance income data, shows that around 24% earn $50,000 per year, although there is a close relationship between revenue and marketing efforts. This is quite a high income, although the freelancer must be actively involved in marketing. Moreover, depending on the quality of work and client order, freelancers can fix their offer/fee, unlike a day job where one has to work for a fixed amount with little or no time for oneself and even for his family. Suffice it to say that freelancers have a very wide range of opportunities and how they are used is up to them. As Africa slowly comes out of its "shell", many businesses and corporations in Africa are moving away from regularly hiring employees to relying on freelancers as it reduces costs, given that it costs businesses relatively less and avoids administrative formalities. protocols involved in hiring a full-time employee. This also does not concern retirement benefits and social obligations (health coverage) of companies; there is no better time to freelance in Africa. As an entrepreneurial skill, freelancing helps turn an individual idea into action. An entrepreneur as defined by the Oxford Dictionary is a person who sets up a business or businesses, taking on financial risks in the hope of making a profit. Pegem.net defines an entrepreneur as a person who has decided to take charge of their own future and become independent, even if this means creating their own job. Yet this is what freelancing allows you to do: create your own future. It is not enough to have the creative skills for your job as time has proven to us, it is also important that you can organize and manage it because let's face it, self-employment is a booming business and s 'it's not well optimized, it might not be. boom so much for such an individual. Although, like most freelancers, the income is not fixed like in a regular business, some months may involve getting around 12 to 20 clients while some months, less than 10. The success of the business may be linked to the way the individual manages it. . If managed well, it can be better than most regular paid jobs, and the benefit is that you work at your own pace and pace. Freelancing not only creates jobs for the freelancer, but also for those who work under them. For example, a freelance writing company will have several writers, editors and may even have unskilled workers who can help with translation. This further reduces the surge in unemployment and cuts the vicious circle of poverty plaguing the African continent. So how to proceed? like any money-making business, you have to spend money to make money. Therefore, the tools necessary for.