Johannesburg - Following the success of the inaugural implementation of the national What about the Boys? programme, more effort is put into supporting more boys on a quest to raise a nation of good men.
The programme also promotes healthy concepts of masculinity and tackles the challenging reality of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF).
What About The Boys?, which was first rolled out across high schools in 2022 and reached 15 000 boys, is a project of youth-development specialists Primestars involving multi-media content.
It also provides an educational and supportive platform where boys learn to manage their triggers while understanding the importance of respect, empathy, and dignity in all relationships.
Primestars MD, Martin Sweet, unpacked some of the additional elements, saying: “This year’s programme will encourage participants to become advocates of GBVF prevention by setting up GBVF councils in their respective schools. These councils will include girls in order to encourage boys to become allies of girls at school and in the community at large.”
He further added: “The expansion of the programme to new schools ensures that the message against GBVF spreads widely. By nurturing GBVF councils run by the learners themselves, we aim to encourage organic growth and sustainability”.
One of the changes to the 2024 programme includes the addition of McDonald’s to the list of sponsors.
McDonald’s CEO, Greg Solomon, announced the new partnership, saying: “What would an Oreo McFlurry be without Oreos? You need a partnership of ingredients to make a McFlurry. That’s why we partner with organisations like this with vision and leadership values aligned with our own. We recognise what the What About the Boys? programme stands for, and we want to be a part of it.”
Former deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka called on all South Africans to make a difference in the life of a boy they know. “I want to thank Primestars for standing up and making a difference and bringing all of us to be part of this journey. I am thankful for the collaboration with Primestars. I’m just here to say, please, can we have more,” said Mlambo-Ngcuka.
The Star