Children

Head of Research at Heartlines, Livhuwani Maphorogo, convened a workshop for authors contributing to an upcoming Heartlines publication on interdisciplinary perspectives on fatherhood, masculinity and youth in South Africa.

When one of his social fathers invited Lehlohonolo to a leadership moment, things didn't turn out quite as he'd expected. But he learnt a life-changing lesson that he still relies on today. 

As we think about our father stories, it can help to remember that fathers are people, just like us. And sometimes, connection grows from understanding how they give and receive love. 

See some of the winning entries from our Youth Month Competition. The competition was an opportunity for children to share their views about fatherhood. There were some powerful, inspiring and moving submissions. 

Long before we had the social discussion about father absence, South Africa had already built systems that made it normal. Men left home not because they didn’t care, but because they had to. 

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. 

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.

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. 

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

To every parent raising a child with a disability: You’re not behind. You’re not cursed. You’re not alone. You’re raising a masterpiece, one who might look different, sound different and move differently, but who who carries divine purpose in every breath.

The question of celebrating young girls without sidelining boys is a hot topic. And it deserves real thought, because the last thing we want is to solve one problem by creating another.