Mogale City Local Municipality recently presented 20 boys from Thuto Lefa High School in Munsieville with the opportunity to participate in their Men in the Making programme.

Through the initiative the municipality aims to expose boys to a range of career opportunities, and provide them with the opportunity to interact with responsible men who inspire self-confidence.

According to the founders, the man-in-the-making idea grew from the realisation that the boy child is “calling out for help, attention, recognition and acknowledgement as he wrestles with life’s challenges such as substance abuse and the negligence experienced when more focus and glamour are placed on a girl child”.

Speaking at the launch of the initiative, social upliftment specialist Rebecca Molifi outlined the concerns that led to the initiative saying, “It is a concern that more girls are exposed to different job opportunities whereas boys are left out. When they do get exposed, they only get introduced to careers labelled as ‘manly careers’.”

Pupils were placed in municipal departments where they interacted with officials. They had the opportunity to ask job-related questions while exploring their career options.

The Social Services Department hopes that the programme will bring positive changes to the boys’ lives and help them make the right subject choices in line with their career aspirations.

At the end of the programme the boys were presented with certificates of attendance and goodie bags.