Foundation teaches boys how to treat girls

Mhlongo is the founder of a recently established non-profit organisation (NPO), Step Ahead Foundation and is on a mission to empower the boy child.
The NPO believes in mentoring the male-child as in many communities there is a shortage of male role models for young boys to look up to.

They believe absenteeism in male leadership is one of the factors leading to young men abusing girls.
Mhlongo’s foundation recently hosted an event which gathered male learners from Nkowankowa schools, teaching them how to treat the girl child.

“We believe that the girl-child needs the boy-child to protect her in order to avoid social ills such as rape and GBV.
“As an organisation we are here to hold their hands in everything concerning life, whether it is school or life in general.

Also read: Local NPO making community victorious

“We are available to show them a better way of living, as most of these boys mimic what they see in their families.
“They beat girls because they saw their fathers hitting their mothers.
“We are here to show them a different way of treating females,” Mhlongo explained.

The organisation is also a victim empowerment centre and offers shelter to gender-based violence and femicide victims, orphans and victims of human trafficking and sexual offenses.
Some of the services they offer include victim support, forensic medical and legal services, skills development and psychological and therapeutic services.

They are currently not funded and are dependent on donations and are in desperate need of funding in order to expand their work.
They are currently based in the former Progress School in Nkowankowa and utilise classrooms as shelters and offices.

The organisation is made up of seven board members; Samuel Risinamhodzi, Evident Zitha, Lillian Mhlongo, Mapula Lesailane, Salphinah Ratabara, Martin Ngomana and Themba Mhlongo.
For more information and for donations, contact Themba Mhlongo on 065 991 4989 and 079 844 4361.