Primestars and The YouthStart Foundation joined forces to launch What About the Boys 2
Since its inception in 2022, What About the Boys has reached over 60 000 boys in over 180 schools, making a real dent in the fight against GBV.
As South Africa marks national child protection month, Primestars and The Youth Start Foundation ask the critical question: Why does gender-based violence (GBV) remain so persistent, despite decades of intervention?
The answer, according to Primestars’ chairperson Martin Sweet. “Violence does not begin in adulthood, it begins in the beliefs young people are taught about power, identity, and relationships.”
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Primestars and the YouthStart Foundation, on May 14, launched What About the Boys 2. The film is the bold next phase of one of the country’s most impactful GBV prevention initiatives.
This is not an awareness campaign, but a system-level intervention designed to reshape how a generation understands inter-gender power, respect, and relationships.
GBV crisis begins when: Boys are taught that vulnerability is weakness, and girls are taught that silence is safety.
Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training Dr Nomusa Dube-Ncube said it was an honour to be among thought leaders who were interested in alleviating societal ills that have relentlessly affected young people in society.
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“Congratulations on the success of What About the Boys. When one sits intentionally with a question, it becomes a call to action. The response of which we are all responsible for in our society”
Matt Greenfield, who plays Ryan in What About the Boy 2, said the film was important, because it spoke to our current challenges in society.
“The character Ryan, and the others, represent many lives of people in the country who face many challenges. Ryan has substance abuse challenges, which stem from being abused by his father at home, and we eventually see him get professional help and speaking up, which is an important emphasise made in the film.”
Since inception in 2022, What About the Boys reached over 60 000 boys in over 180 schools across all nine provinces, especially in underserved township and rural areas. It also involved over 400 trained male mentors.
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