‘What About The Boys’ programme’s 2024 edition is underway
What About The Boys?’ has impacted over 40 000 high school boys from under-resourced townships nationally.
To kick off the 2024 edition of the ‘What About The Boys?’ programme, Primestars, different stakeholders along with 200 high school boys gathered at the Ster Kinekor complex at The Zone in Rosebank on April 13.
Since its inception in 2022 ‘ What About The Boys?’ has impacted over 40 000 high school boys from under-resourced township and rural communities nationally, presenting to them relatable storytelling through movies, coupled with the informative, illustrated Good Men Guide workbooks, MENtorship and a free online platform called Primestars Digital.
Founder and managing director of Primestars, Martin Sweet said, “As social reformer, writer and statesman Frederick Douglass said, “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men. ‘What About the Boys?’ was designed to help boys redefine masculinity by teaching them to share emotions in healthy ways, accept and connect with others, manage emotional triggers, stand up and speak out against bullying and inequality.”
Primestars chief operating officer, Nkosinathi Moshoana added that the programme was about redefining masculinity and supporting boys on their journey to becoming good men.
Vital to the programme’s success was the qualitative and quantitative data gathered before and after the programme’s implementation. Before going through the programme:
- 16% of boys agreed with the statement that ‘There are times when a woman deserves to be beaten’
- 30% agreed with the statement that ‘It is okay for a man to hit his girlfriend or wife if she won’t have sex with him’
- 74% agreed with the statement ‘A man can have sex with his wife whenever he wants’
Post-assessments with the same learners showed that these percentages had dropped dramatically.
Chairperson of the Board- GBVF Response Fund, Faith Khanyile concluded, “Together we are challenging the traditional notions of masculinity, cultivating emotional intelligence, and embracing a new paradigm of manhood that is rooted in respect, empathy, and accountability.”
