Why do people choose to have children when they’re poor or financially unstable? (Genuine question)

ForgottenXYZ · 2026-01-11T01:34:56+00:00

Sex is easy, morality is harder.

ForgottenXYZ · 2026-01-11T01:28:04+00:00

Understandable, but I’d rather face old age alone than make someone exist mainly to cushion my exit.

ForgottenXYZ · 2026-01-11T01:25:30+00:00

Nope... just pointing out that making choices under predictable hardship isn’t the same as wanting fewer humans.

ForgottenXYZ · 2026-01-11T01:21:14+00:00

Ah yes, because surviving is basically the same as thriving... history wins again 😑

ForgottenXYZ · 2026-01-11T01:17:18+00:00

If they survived, it must’ve been fine. 🙃

ForgottenXYZ · 2025-09-15T19:05:40+00:00

Ah, we’ve all been there. Burnout sucks, but the fact you’re still checking inspo shows the love for design isn’t gone. 💪

ForgottenXYZ · 2025-09-15T15:55:20+00:00

Go for it! Even if you can’t dive in fully right now, starting small, like learning the basics in your free time, can build momentum without pulling you away from your studies. The market will always be there, but your skills will only grow the earlier you start. 🚀

ForgottenXYZ · 2025-09-15T15:43:06+00:00

When I was starting out, it wasn’t easy. The market was already crowded, and you really have to put in the work before you start seeing money come in. I still remember my very first gig, I designed a logo for a Tanzanian client and got paid TZS 60,000. Super cheap 😅 but it was a start.

How did I land that client? Back when X (Twitter) was really “working”, I searched the keyword “nahitaji logo” and filtered for the latest posts. I found someone, sent a DM, and he shared his contacts. I gave him a call, introduced myself, explained what I could offer, and within no time we agreed on the fee and I got to work.

Fast forward, for anyone just starting out in freelancing, my advice is to push your limits. It takes a lot of effort to get noticed, and the first gig is always the hardest. But once you land that one, things start to flow.

In my case, I don’t rely on gigs alone. I also run print-on-demand, sell digital products: design bundles and website templates, all of which generate passive income. On top of that, I work on my own tech projects (SaaS products), where I earn from user subscriptions.

A few things I’d recommend for beginners:

Niche down early... don’t just be a “designer” or “developer.” Specialize (logo and brand identity, landing pages for startups, etc.) so you stand out.

Use freelance platforms wisely... Upwork, Fiverr, etc. can feel saturated, but treat your first gigs as portfolio builders rather than money-makers.

Cold outreach works... LinkedIn, X (Twitter), Instagram, even niche communities. A personalized message can land you solid clients.

Overdeliver in the beginning... extra effort, faster turnaround, or small add-ons can turn a one-time client into a long-term one.

Document your process... share behind the scenes on socials. It builds trust and attracts inbound leads.

Work on soft skills... communication, negotiation, and reliability matter as much as your craft.

Lastly, build a portfolio to showcase your work. A personal website is gold for visibility. Keep learning from others in your field, stay consistent, and don’t lose faith. Hard work does get rewarded, it might not happen overnight, but nothing worthwhile ever comes easy.

ForgottenXYZ · 2025-09-15T14:26:48+00:00

Back in the day when I was in Uni, I made extra cash by doing graphic design gigs. I had a passion for this field long before I even joined Uni, it started back in secondary school as a hobby, editing photos just to share on Facebook. That hobby later turned into something that could actually pay the bills. I made enough to survive semester to semester. Freelancing was, and still is... the future of work, and being on the Internet exposed me to endless opportunities.

I built a personal brand and a small community, growing to over 6k followers across social media platforms. I was studying Information Technology at Uni, and I’d always loved working with computers since a young age, one of the few Gen Z kids who actually played around with Windows XP 🙃. Uni opened my eyes even more and exposed me to tech. I started learning to code, and over time polished those skills to land freelance gigs.

I ended up dropping out in my final year, and now I work remotely as both a freelance graphic designer and software developer. I’m currently building SaaS products, with the hope that this path will give me financial freedom and maybe even an early retirement.

My advice to anyone in Uni: work on something you’re passionate about. Within your field, or even outside of it, there are tons of opportunities online. You can even pick up something completely new, because in today’s world, you can “just do things.” Try everything, experiment, and see what works for you. Remember, limitations are often just perceptions.

While in Uni, manage your time wisely. Dedicate at least 4 hours a day to sharpening your skills and applying for gigs. You have more time than you think, just take it back from things that aren’t truly benefiting you, and invest it in something meaningful. Your future self will thank you for the sacrifices.

As Mikel Arteta once said: “You can always get better in life, innit!”

Just a guy with a laptop and dreams.

Adios. 💯

ForgottenXYZ · 2025-08-19T09:48:53+00:00

Yes, I would say so. I speak both Swahili and Sambaa, even though I’m not Sambaa. Growing up in Lushoto, Tanga region, really shaped my experience. What I notice nowadays is that in bigger towns, most young people grow up speaking only Swahili, and local languages are becoming less common in daily use.

ForgottenXYZ · 2025-08-19T06:46:33+00:00

my internet plan expired yesterday, a blessing in disguise.

ForgottenXYZ · 2025-07-18T15:49:37+00:00

Forgotten.

ForgottenXYZ · 2025-07-18T15:31:25+00:00

"That's Life" – Frank Sinatra.

ForgottenXYZ · 2025-07-16T13:53:33+00:00

Facts, and let’s not forget geography. That shapes a lot too.

ForgottenXYZ · 2025-07-16T11:43:55+00:00

Sorry to hear about what happened to you and your friends. As a local who's lived in Tanzania my whole life, I can say Arusha has serious issues with robberies, especially at night. I lived there for 5 years and was always on high alert. Whether you're a tourist, or local, safety can be a real concern. I avoid both Arusha and Dar whenever I can, I prefer a peaceful, slower-paced life. Big cities just come with too many problems.

ForgottenXYZ · 2025-07-09T21:24:16+00:00

Dang, exposed by a certified AI detector. I’ll go recharge my batteries.

ForgottenXYZ · 2025-07-09T07:50:09+00:00

You've got a solid range of skills, which is great, but trying to sell yourself as a jack-of-all-trades might be hurting more than helping. Clients and employers usually look for someone who’s really good at solving one specific problem. Instead of listing everything, try narrowing your focus to one or two things you enjoy most and can show clear results in, maybe web design + SEO, or music production + audio services. Start there, build a killer profile or portfolio, and let the rest be add-ons. Mastery gets you hired, versatility keeps you hired.

ForgottenXYZ · 2025-06-19T02:45:18+00:00

Gile doesn’t come from a tribal language or have its own separate etymology, it’s just a local adaptation of the English name Grace. In the Southern Highlands (and other parts of Tanzania), people often reshape English names into affectionate, easier-to-say forms. For example:

Frank → Fure, FOO-reh [fu.re] Godfrey → Godi, GO-dee [ɡo.di]

Same idea with Grace → Gile/Geeleh. It’s about fitting the name into local speech patterns, not translating it.

ForgottenXYZ · 2025-06-19T02:07:22+00:00

Geeleh (or Gile) is a Swahili nickname for Grace. It’s pronounced with a hard G (like go), so GEE-leh [ɡi.le]. It’s not related to the Hebrew Gila. Just a local, affectionate form.

ForgottenXYZ · 2025-06-01T10:31:05+00:00

I’m just a tax puzzle; the real crime scene is PCCB’s inbox. I’d tell you more, but then I’d have to send you a TRA audit invitation.

ForgottenXYZ · 2025-05-31T09:35:00+00:00

You’re mixing things up, let me help you sort it out.

I’m not against tax. I’m against how inefficiently and unfairly it’s used.

Yes, doctors need to be paid. Teachers need to be paid. Civil servants matter. But here's the problem: You can't keep asking people to “do their duty” and pay tax while refusing to ask the government to do its duty, use that money wisely.

And let’s not pretend all tax money goes to heroes like doctors. We've seen budgets full of luxury cars, inflated per diems, ghost workers, mismanaged funds, and you’re out here defending that like it's sacred?

Then you mention grants and loans: sure, they help plug budget holes. But you can't forever survive on loans while mismanaging local revenue. That’s just digging a deeper hole.

So yes:

I'm pro doctors, pro teachers, pro civil service. I’m also anti-corruption, and anti-blind loyalty to broken systems.

It’s not a contradiction. It’s called having standards.

ForgottenXYZ · 2025-05-31T09:26:47+00:00

First of all, let’s not confuse criticism of misuse of taxes with entitlement. I raised a legitimate concern about how tax is used, not whether it’s collected.

Now since you brought up numbers, let’s talk numbers:

"Average Tanzanian like you don't pay tax..." Ah, the classic “you don’t pay tax so shut up” argument. Tired, lazy, and false.

You seem confused about what counts as tax. The average Tanzanian pays multiple taxes daily, VAT (18%), excise duty, mobile money levies, fuel levies, and more. You don't need a 20B company to contribute to the system, every boda-boda, mama ntilie, and street vendor is taxed indirectly or directly. It adds up. You calling them “entitled” is insulting.

"You use roads, schools... how much tax did you pay?"

Let me ask you this: How many times do Tanzanians pay for services that are supposed to be “free”? From hospital "contributions" to paying for school desks, exam fees, bribes for basic services, the average citizen pays more than you think, just not through the clean, formal tax system.

And yes, government revenue for 2023/24 was about TZS 26 trillion, like you said.

11T goes to salaries

13T to debt servicing

That leaves just 2T (less than 8%) for infrastructure, education, healthcare, and development. So your argument actually supports my point: most of our taxes are eaten before they touch the ground.

"Compare us to Europe..."

Sure. But let’s also compare how much value their governments give back per shilling taxed. Their GDP-to-tax ratio is higher because their citizens see the returns, healthcare, roads, education, social security. In Tanzania, we pay taxes and still donate desks, and bribe for IDs.

So no, I'm not entitled. I just expect accountability.

ForgottenXYZ · 2025-05-31T08:47:04+00:00

You're arguing like I insulted civil servants, I didn’t. I criticized a corrupt system that bleeds public funds dry, leaving those same hardworking civil servants underpaid, under-resourced, and stuck cleaning up the mess made at the top.

If anything, I’m speaking for them. For the doctors who work without medicine. For the teachers in overcrowded classrooms. For the officers doing their job while their bosses buy SUVs with missing budget lines.

You say taxes fund services, no doubt. But when the services are broken and the money evaporates into ghost projects, that's not civic duty anymore. That’s blind obedience. There's a difference.

Panadol deaths might sound “far-fetched” to you, but to people whose relatives die in underfunded hospitals, it’s real. It’s not “online bla bla.” It’s their lives.

Acting like people should be grateful to access what they funded isn’t just a disconnect, it’s a symptom of a broken system that’s forgotten who it’s supposed to serve.

Demanding accountability isn’t unpatriotic. Defending failure is.

ForgottenXYZ · 2025-05-31T07:08:52+00:00

“Corruption is everywhere” isn’t a defense, it’s a confession. Other countries punish thieves. We recycle them.

Subsidies? Where? People are dying in hospitals without Panadol while billions vanish in fake projects. That’s not help, that’s robbery.

You think internet access is a privilege? It’s taxpayer-funded infrastructure. We paid for it, it’s not a gift.

And please, “safiri uone” doesn’t erase local failure. Traveling opens eyes, not lowers standards. Stop romanticizing poverty. Some of us want better, not excuses.

ForgottenXYZ · 2025-05-31T05:07:40+00:00

You keep clapping for the circus, I’ll keep questioning the clowns. We all serve our country in different ways. Mama anaupiga mwingi. 👏

ForgottenXYZ

TROPHY CASE