Annual Men’s Conference held in Germiston
The conference followed the Cool Dads Picnic held on October 12 at Ndaba Tree in Kwa-Thema, which was exclusively for men.
The Cool Dads Foundation recently held its third annual Men’s Conference at the Germiston Civic Centre Banquet Hall.
The event focused on critical issues affecting men, under the theme ‘Building a Generation of Conscious and Intentional Men’.
Attendees were encouraged to bring along young men, including sons and nephews, while high school boys were also welcomed.
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The conference followed the Cool Dads Picnic held on October 12 at Ndaba Tree in Kwa-Thema, which was exclusively for men.
Topics covered during the conference included:
• Men and the law.
• Mental health and wellness.
• Fatherhood.
• Men’s health and sexuality.
• Financial literacy.
• Founder’s vision for fatherhood.
Sir-Bongani Ka Luvuyo, author of A Father, A Stranger? Mzansi’s Memoirs of Fatherhood and founder of the Cool Dads Foundation, addressed the media about the conference and his book.
“The Cool Dads Foundation encourages young fathers to be emotionally and physically available in their children’s lives,” said Luvuyo.
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“It also focuses on helping young men respond positively to their responsibilities as fathers, aiming to eradicate the cycle of absent fatherhood.”
Luvuyo explained that the foundation invites diverse black fathers to share their experiences growing up and their relationships with their fathers, highlighting how these shaped their own approach to fatherhood.
“These memoirs offer society a chance to understand fatherhood from a male perspective,” he added.
The Cool Dads Foundation, established in 2012 in Kwa-Thema, works to address the lack of active father figures in children’s lives.
“A Cool Dad is a present father,” Luvuyo emphasised.
“He not only supports his own children but also reaches out to those without fathers.”
Luvuyo concluded with a reflection on Nelson Mandela’s words at a UN special session in 2002: “History will judge us by the difference we make in the everyday lives of children.”
The foundation, he said, is committed to making that difference through meaningful action and engagement.
