Goan youth Maclon spreading the message of self employment – by Nisser Dias

We have heard about cycling or driving expeditions carrying a message of peace across the country and even across international borders, but this young Goan has set upon a unique mission to urge youth to out their time to good use.

Maclon Eloy Fernandes from Batora, Curtorim is on a mission to spread the message of self employment to unemployed youth not to idle away precious time zooming around on bikes or drinking but to use it to earn a living.

This dynamic youth who claims to have traveled half the globe on jobs, then took up employment in Goa and finally started to sell mangoes at Ponda junction at Fatorda.

He informed that he was hurt and restless seeing youth idling away their time, drinking some trying to seek employment overseas for years, wasting lakhs of rupees job agents others zooming around Goa on motorcycles. Since he also did not a job, decided to sell mangoes standing on the road and proclaim his message of self employment to the general public.

Maclon claims he woke up on May 31, bought mangoes from Goans, put them in the boot of his Skoda Laura car, parked it at the Ponda circle at Fatorda and started selling it.

To every customer who approaches him to buy the mangoes, he tells them that he is Goan and the reason for him to sell mangoes is to send a message to youth to use their time for constructive purpose.

“I do not need to do this, my parents are abroad and as you can see I move in high-end car and using the same to spread the message of gainful employment.” “Youth in Goa want to go abroad and do odd jobs there but they are not ready to do the same here as they consider is it as either shameful or they feel shy, so I’m setting an example.”

Curtorim MLA Reginald Lourenco endorsed his view stating that time will come and overseas job will dry-up and youth will have to gain employment here. While congratulating Maclon said he is a very dynamic youth and takes up any challenge.

Shedding all his inhibitions Maclon claims he has not studied much but has graduated among the people, “I can talk to a group of people and convince them, within 5 days I sold 700 mangoes for Rs. 300 a dozen.” “I want to set an example by doing it, by being pragmatic and not just preaching it.”

Goan Seamen Association of India president Dixon Vaz was passing by, stopped to state that seeing and hearing Maclon was inspiring and refreshing. “I bought two dozen mangoes from him a just to encourage him.” “I wish some Goan youth take cue from him and start something, however small to earn a living here in Goa itself.”

On the flip side of the story, Maclon has had a disheartening experience with the Civic body. He claimed that Margao Municipal Council market inspectors are harassing him while sparing all other non-Goans selling fruits and vegetables on rickshaws in and around the city. “I doing this for just seven days now I do not know the ways to pacify them, non-Goans are not being troubled because of tacit understanding but I will not toe their line as this is not bread and butter but I want to spread a certain message.”