I always tell people that the second most experience I have behind my current job is cattle herding. I have nine years experience as a herdboy.

As a life student, I learnt so much from my cattle-herding days.

People tend to undermine cattle herding and yet I have done it both as a paying job and as a chore.

Herding cattle teaches you so much. Cattle don't work according to your schedule. They usually do what you don't want them to do.

Cattle herding teaches you so much in dealing with other people.

I witnessed and experienced more bullying as a herdboy than at school. Bullies used to make us young boys fight among ourselves.

Sometimes you were made to fight against your best friend.

You learnt to appreciate real friends and older boys who weren't bullies.

Herding teaches you resourcefulness. As a result, I could be stuck in the middle of nowhere and I would know what to eat to stay alive.

It also teaches you how to get out of sticky situations when other people are angry with you.

There were times you lost livestock and you had to explain at home.

Cattle themselves have different personalities. Some cattle challenge your ability to keep cool under pressure.

Swimming is also one of the life-long lessons that herding teaches you. To be able to swim is a life-saving lesson that as former herdboys we treasure so much.

No matter how cr***y you think your current job is, there's something it teaches you.

You might not realise it now but all will be revealed in the future.

Let's treasure what we currently have, no matter how little.

Richardson Mzaidume, Pimville