Shifting informal geographies and the hustle for a better future

Abstract

This chapter is based on three years of research in South Africa and Uganda in the VET Africa 4.0 project that sought out the viability of a new approach to skills development in Africa that promotes inclusivity, decent work, and environmental sustainability. It will focus on the case of Gulu, a rural and rapidly transforming post-conflict city in northern Uganda. In Gulu, the research focused on the intersections of informal learning and living. We observed a dynamic and growing youth-led informal economy focused on environmental innovation and community development. The informal youth-led innovation we observed in Gulu is characterised by interdependence and shared futures. In this chapter, we conceptualise the future of flourishing communities as dependent on the hustle of a myriad of youth in informality as they seek out the skills needed to develop the local economy together through a shared effort and vision for the future. The authors advocate for a radical shift in learning programmes that recognise the rich dynamics of solidarity, cooperation, and care found in the hustle in order to align with a contextually relevant and desirable future.