Stories – Fathers Matter

Where does our violence begin?

Randall's story is about breaking cycles, particularly the one he inherited from his father. Where addiction once defined him, he has chosen differently. Where his father’s absence shaped him, he now strives to be present for his child and his mother.

When the streets raise our boys

Despite having a father who was alive, Nkululeko did not have that consistent presence shaping his understanding of himself. And when that kind of guidance is missing, it doesn’t leave a gap for long. Something else fills it. In his case, the streets stepped in...

What’s Papa got to do with my rage?

Father absence removes one of the first buffers against violence – a daily presence where anger is noticed, slowed down, named, and shaped before it hardens.

Education doesn’t fail at school first

At the 2026 Department of Basic Education Sector Lekgotla, Fathers Matter had a chance to highlight children's perspectives on fatherhood – and how their father experiences can influence their education.

Building your child’s emotional toolkit for school

We know about the uniforms and stationery, but one of the most important things we can help our kids prepare is their emotional toolkit. In South African classrooms and playgrounds, children learn more than the curriculum. They learn how to handle friendships, face challenges, and build skills like communication, empathy, resilience, and problem-solving.

The day men returned to school, for their children

On a warm November morning, a classroom at Zonkizizwe Primary School in Orange Farm hosted a different kind of curriculum: fatherhood. No chalkboards, no formal lesson plan, just men arriving with their stories, their children, and the quiet hope of becoming better fathers than the ones they had, or didn’t have.

[PICS] Playing Dad Cape Town film launch

Community, glamour, fun and, of course, popcorn were all part of the wonderful media launch of our latest Fathers Matter film Playing Dad at Nu Metro, Hyde Park on 4 June 2025.

Working with Soil and Seeds in Sebeko Street Soweto

Fathers Matter national working group calls for men to be protectors, allies and agents of change

There was a time when religious spaces avoided talking about gender justice. But over the years, more faith communities have recognised that silence actually reinforces harm.

How we can overcome bullying and build safer schools

Through initiatives involving young people, communities, education and law enforcement, dedicated South Africans are working to reduce violence and inspire empathy and trust.

Rethinking Fatherhood, Gender, and Masculinity in South Africa: A Symposium on Youth Perspectives

On 29 October 2025, Heartlines, in partnership with the University of the Witwatersrand School of Governance hosted the Rethinking Fatherhood, Gender, and Masculinity in South Africa symposium.

Hey dads, big news about parental leave

Fathers Matter encourages men to play an active and positive role in their children’s lives by developing skills around caregiving and emotional presence. The new law about parental leave is an opportunity for fathers to do exactly that from the very beginning, creating space for both parents to share the work and the joy of raising a newborn.

When your father seems like a different man as a grandfather

No two generations of fathers raise their children in quite the same way. Andile’s experience shows that the next chapter of fatherhood is written by choosing how to carry the good parts of the past forward while changing the parts that caused harm.