‘You are not alone’ – Boys to Men Programme to troubled Kagiso youth
Kagiso stakeholders and community development workers are on a quest to help troubled boys in the area.
Many boys in South Africa are emotionally neglected and not given any attention. This in turn leads to troubled youngsters because they do not have someone who can guide them. However, community development workers in Kagiso hope to make a difference to ensure that boys are not alone.
With school holidays in place, it is very easy for young people, especially boys, to get into trouble over the holidays while parents are at work and unable to keep an eye on them.
The Boys to Men Programme held at Chief Mogale Hall hosted by Kagiso stakeholders ensured that the boys would be occupied with various productive activities as well as educating them on peer pressure, substance abuse and gender-based violence. Over 100 boys attended the programme.
According to event organiser Molatsi Khumalo, the programme was also an opportunity to create a safe space for boys in Kagiso as she feels that not enough attention is brought to the issues that young men face.
“We are very vocal when it comes to the issues affecting women, however, that should not take away the focus on the social issues that boys face. We would like to mentor these boys on various social topics because they also play a hand in how they treat women,” Molatsi said.
The programme was a collaborative effort between various local stakeholders including the Teddy Bear Clinic, Westview Clinic, LifeLine West Rand, The Department of Health and The Department of Justice.
