Jovial Jump: Tourism to Microfinance
Fela is from The Land of Rolling Hills, Aizawl. He…
This personal narrative reflects the author’s jump from tourism studies to a researcher in the field of microfinance. It explores the challenges faced during the journey. The narrative emphasizes the significance of microfinance in employment generation and its potential impact on the tourism industry.
The route of life is determined by the number of jumps we take. Rather than accumulating all our energy in jumping to pluck an apple from a tree, it is better to seek a logical solution in jumping to make it fall easier. Indeed, we jump based on the paths we cross, the decisions we make for our careers, and the people we meet, either for the good or bad. If life is a stage and we jump innocuously into our fantasized-filled notions, everybody would dream of owning a private jet or a herd of elephants.
In reality, the leaps I took in jumping from being a post-graduate in tourism studies to working as a researcher in the aspects of microfinance of central schemes has been a perplexing distance covered on a wide range of decision-making. It was a complete confrontation of ‘expecting the unexpected’ of an unexplored destiny.
At first, I was completely lost in the matters and concepts of the subjects. The study of the project was based on the impacts of microfinance including the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Program (PMEGP) and Prime Minister’s Mudra Yogna on employment generation in Mizoram. It was entirely different from tourism studies where I completed both my graduation and post-graduation.
Before, I have heard of loans, perceiving it with simpleton to be money lent by banks to anyone in need of it; lacking knowledge of its categories and specifications. It took me months to grab hold of knowledge of those disciplines I have never ever known. Each time I made an effort to learn, intangible question marks of different shapes burst out of my head.
Just when I was on the verge of resigning, things took an entire U-turn to leave no stone unturned. The only one that kept me afloat through the first phase of confusion was the enduring patience, encouragement, and limitless empathy of the project director who is an Associate Professor at the Central University in my workplace. His enlightening optimism tends to help me inculcate knowledge each new day.
Learning to expand my knowledge allowed me to see a brighter side. Data collection became a consoling remedy in hearing the success stories of people who humbly established their micro-enterprises, starting from scratch through microfinance. I became a better listener through the ventures of their storytelling. Moreover, my observations widened in learning that microfinance can be a useful element in shaping the higher success of the tourism industry. Such central schemes can encourage communities to comprehend the vital essence tourism industry in enhancing employment generation with a sustainable approach.
To sum up, I would like to say that the risk I took in jumping was never a mistake. My decisions enabled me to trust my struggles and attained fresh ideas taking each pace. For the first time, I became financially independent, pampering my dog to bits with my salary. Though life is not a bed of roses, I still have miles to cover. Each step I took fosters new room for learning and breathing in new knowledge.
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Fela is from The Land of Rolling Hills, Aizawl. He completed his post graduation in tourism. His world revolves around his love for literature and his dog Mr. Boo. He is an enthusiastic traveler, a passionate writer and loves watching anime.