Feature film at SterKinekor in Rosebank empowers boys

Not only are boys informed around gender-based violence through Primestars’s feature film campaign but were given some financial goals tips at the film’s recent screening in Rosebank.

Naidine Sibanda

October 29, 2023

Learners from various schools attend the What About the Boys screening. Photo: Naidine Sibanda

Boys from various schools had quite the experience as they watched the feature film What About The Boys. The film was created to address gender-based violence (GBV) through the promotion of positive masculinity by targeting high school youth on a national and digital level through theoretical and hands-on elements. At the film screening on October 21 at SterKinekor The Zone in Rosebank, the CEO at McDonald’s South Africa, Greg Solomon shared a few nuggets of wisdom on how the boys could work towards their financial future.

“The only way you can go up is to make a bigger base, the smaller your base, the smaller your pyramid, the bigger the base, the bigger the pyramid,” said Solomon.

The CEO at McDonald’s South Africa Greg Solomon addresses the learners. Photo: Naidine Sibanda

He advised the young learners to set bigger goals. “I want you to set goals for where you will be at the age of 30. Then I want you to take it back and say every year, ‘What is my step towards that goal?’ My key message to you is that you are the future leaders of this world, have confidence in yourselves. Our world has changed, we’re no longer playing soccer with 11 guys, and it’s now six and six. It’s confusing for us but work that out among yourselves. Big dreams, small steps, focusing your 20s on building your base and not becoming the next hero.”

As one of the facilitators of the discussion and a mentor at the National Mentorship Movement, Nkululeko Zondo said GBV affected everyone. He said one was either a perpetrator, a victim or a witness. He urged, “We must make sure that if we see GBV in different forms, men to men, men to children, women to men, we speak up. Speaking up does not make you a snitch.”

Learners attend the What About the Boys screening. Photo: Naidine Sibanda

The CEO of the National Mentorship Movement, Dave Wilson told the boys that their role was to break the cycle of violence. He advised that there were other ways to deal with conflict. “Try and understand where the anger comes from. We are not looking for heroes but good men. When you witness violence you don’t necessarily have to intervene or get involved but there are people you can contact,” said Wilson.

The marketing and communications director at McDonald’s, Sechaba Motsieloa reminded the learners that they were boys and not yet men. Therefore, it was important for them to build their base as boys so that by the time they grew into men, they could expand their base.