The Empowering the Boychild project has completed its 25th workshop, bringing 20 professionals and community leaders together to mentor 50 boys in Alexandra.
Hosted at M.C. Weiler Primary School, which serves more than 1,800 learners, the workshop focused on boys in Grades 6 and 7 through conversations, learning activities and interaction with role models from different professional backgrounds.
The latest workshop marked a milestone for the initiative, with a record 20 speakers participating in the programme.
Among those contributing were Neil Pollock, Vice President of the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI); Dr Jameel Asani from the University of Johannesburg; Valentino Chigwedere from Junior Chamber International; Thapelo Mokhali from Old Mutual South Africa; and Innocent Ngwane from the Gauteng Department of Basic Education.
The programme also extended beyond the participating boys by creating an intergenerational conversation involving parents and grandparents.
Gugu Motlanthe, former First Lady of South Africa and CEO of the Kgalema Motlanthe Foundation, addressed parents and gogos who attended the workshop, adding a family and community dimension to the initiative.
Students from the University of Johannesburg and University of Pretoria also participated through community engagement, providing the schoolboys with younger role models who could share their experiences of progressing into higher education.
Community organisations contributed to the programme, with Charmaine S. Seloma and Rays of Hope Community Development Foundation supporting catering for participants.
The workshop forms part of the broader Empowering the Boychild initiative, which uses mentorship and engagement with professionals, university students and community leaders to expose boys to different experiences and perspectives.
Reaching its 25th workshop demonstrates the programme’s continued community engagement, while the Alexandra session brought together education, business, civil society, universities and families around the development of young boys.
The initiative plans to extend its work into more communities, continuing its focus on youth and family development.
The Alexandra workshop shows how the initiative combines mentorship with family engagement, making intergenerational dialogue a central part of its community impact beyond the 50 boys who attended.
