As part of the Mandela centenary celebrations, men were taught how to protect children within their communities during a dialogue held at Lwamondo last Friday.
The aim of the dialogue was to increase fathers' involvement in child care and protection, and also to teach boys from a young age about being responsible men.
Save the Children Coordinator Ms Mamahlodi Masepa said many women had been engaged in many dialogues regarding children, so the organisation now saw fit to involve men and remind them about their role in protecting children within their communities. "We wanted to celebrate the Mandela centenary through educating fathers and men on how to protect children, just as we have engaged many women before. We needed to talk specifically to men, as the burden of raising a child is mainly felt by women, but men need to protect and have relationships with and love for their children," said Masepa.
She added that this was to promote fathers' relationships with their children. "This about them telling us what they think the problems are in protecting their own children, and what can be done to make them better fathers. We want these young men to learn how to save their sisters and children together with their partners, and become better parents tomorrow," added Masepa.
Vhembe District's special programmes manager, Mr Khathu Mapholi, said that the Vhembe District Municipality was working hard with Save the Children to end gender-based violence on women and children. "We want to bring all men from VDM on board to take issues of gender-based violence very seriously. We also want to motivate delegates who are attending the programme to train other males in their communities," said Mapholi.
Mapholi further indicated that a feedback session would be held after three months on how this training was developing. "We expect good working relationships between VDM and relevant structures such as sector departments, VEPS, and Munna Ndi Nnyi," added Mapholi.
Dr Bardwell Mufunwaini, director of Munna Ndi Nnyi, said the organisation wanted to teach men to work hard at loving and protecting their children. "As a men's forum, we have received many complaints about children who are being abused by their parents. Education is a good weapon to teach men to protect and save children from abuse. We want them to have eternal love both for their children and their partners," said Mufunwaini.
Mufunwaini added that the forum had received a complaint not long ago about children who were being abused by their stepfather, and of a woman who sold her child for sex in exchange for money at Lwamondo. He said that many cases were still being reported to the forum of women who were abused together with their children, and that abuse was starting to get out of hand as women and children were being used by men as objects to try and solve their problems.