The Men Empowerment Group in Bonteheuwel visited Arcadia Primary School to spread its anti-bullying message on Friday May 5.
The seven men who make up the group are employed by the City of Cape Town’s department of social development and early childhood development, and funding for the project also comes from Ward 50’s budget.
The school’s principal, Suleiman Stanley, said, “Bullying is a concern, not just at our school, but everywhere else. Having other organisations coming to our school to share the anti-bullying message adds another voice. In class, everything is textbook-based.
“The children responded so well to the programme presented to them by the Men Empowerment Group. As a school, we want to be successful in everything and we want to develop our learners holistically. After the session, I went to speak to the learners and they were so excited about what they learnt and asked when the group could come back. So they had loads of fun while learning.”
Ashwyn du Plooy, the supervisor of the Men Empowerment Group, said they wanted to develop community projects that could make a difference.
“We not only want to make a change in children, but to the adults and especially the men of Bonteheuwel – to see our community empowered.
“The anti-bullying project came to birth when we visited a primary school in Bonteheuwel and were made aware of how children are being bullied in schools. We want to bring awareness of how the Grade 7 learners can prevent bullying in the school they are at now and at the new high school they will step into.
“We hope the impact of the project is to have a child leave the room wanting to make a change and walking strong in making the difference.”
Ward councillor Angus Mckenzie said the group was launched earlier this year.
“We saw the benefits of the Women for Change project, and we found that there were many young men who needed guidance as well. Up to 75% of our households are fatherless. When we were in the concept stage, we struggled to find young, motivated men, and hence the group took long to get off the ground. However, this group has proven that they want to make a difference and inspire other young men.”
Grade 7 pupil Jaymee Bosman said more programmes like this should be held at schools. “Bullying hurts and it must stop,” she added.
Another Grade 7, Sylar Isaacs, said he had learnt that he could make a change, even though he had thought differently in the past.
“I can help someone if I see they are being bullied, and I can speak to those who bully. I also learnt today that it is a good thing to be different; we don’t have to be like everybody else.”
His classmate, Yuan Michaels, agreed, saying, “Bullying can develop in different ways, and it affects us negatively. I now believe I can make a difference in my community.”