Swaziland needs "strong" men

Kwakha Indvodza: Mahlanya & Mbuluzi Youth Centers

During the first phase of the project "Wegweiser für junge Männer" the organisation proved to be highly commitment, supported by many volunteers and well connected in the Swazi society.
Kwakha Indvodza provides a mentoring experience to boys and young men who have been denied, either through absenteeism, tragedy or abuse, a present or positive masculine influence in their lives. They rarely interact with a positive male influence and are fast growing into adulthood without any point of reference or male guidance. In response to this problem, Kwakha Indvodza offers a regular positive third space, away from home and school, which allows boys to interact in a male-only environment with each other and approximately 20 mentors from the local and expatriate communities.

Kwakha Indvodza (“Building a Man”) is Swaziland’s first male-focused youth project. The program is structured around three core areas of adolescent male development:
• Financial Independence – Practical skills (such as basic electrical, carpentry, mechanics, and cooking) are combined with leadership, entrepreneurial and organisational skills (such as goal setting, time management, CV writing and presentation skills) to capacitate participants to better position themselves to reach educational and/or work goals.
• Health – Male-orientated health and relationships workshops (including abstinence and condom use, partner reduction, male circumcision, HIV prevention and testing, drug and alcohol awareness, personal hygiene and fitness) promote healthy-decision-making and reduce risky behaviours.
• Responsibility – With a focus on improving the local community, activities include renovating community buildings, litter-removal and the construction of trash bins, tree planting and clearing invasive species, planning and running community events and workshops on gender-based violence.

Project site

Mahlanya und Mbuluzi (Map)

Beneficiaries

210 young men taking part in the mentorship program.

Project costs and assistance by sahee

The entire project costs are CHF 110’000.–, whereas sahee takes over CHF 54’000.–.

Sahee stays in regular contact with the project leaders, monitors the activities and visits the project on site.

Duration of assistance

1st of April 2015 to 31st of March 2017

Local counterpart

Kwakha Indvodza