A CHRISTIAN organisation Men of Valour, Power and Vision (MVPV) has appealed to society to shift its focus towards the plight of the boy child, warning that silence and neglect are slowly destroying a generation.
In an interview yesterday, MVPV media commissioner Tadiwanashe Chakavanda said the growing social and emotional struggles faced by boys in Zimbabwe has led to depression, drug abuse and identity crises.
“The world expects the boy to be strong, to man up, to never cry, to never break. But what happens when that strength becomes a mask?” he asked.
Chakavanda applauded the efforts to uplift girl child, but warned that neglect of boys could lead to imbalance in development, hence he challenged communities, leaders and institutions to act before the consequences deepen.
“We propose practical interventions for safe spaces for boys to speak openly alongside mentorship programs led by social experts while providing access to mental health in schools so that the livelihood of our youths is protected hence achieving national growth,” he said.
Chakavanda lamented that boy children should also be empowered with skills development so that they are empowered economically and socially.
“Let’s raise boys who are not just physically strong, but emotionally grounded and socially responsible,” he said.
“We urge communities to create dialogues to challenge toxic masculinity.”
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Chakavanda urged communities to initiate programmes that uplift the boy child and help them lead better lives.
