THE PLAN FOR 2020 WAS TO TRAIN 16 MENTORS FROM FOUR DIFFERENT REGIONS (ALEX, KZN, CAPE TOWN AND LIMPOPO) TO RUN A SERIES OF SIX CONVERSATIONS WITH GROUPS OF MEN IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. 

The conversations were to be based on the 6-Pack of Champion Virtues material and the target was for each mentor to run three cycles of six conversations over a six-month period for small groups of men.

The numerical target was 50 men per cycle per mentor which would give us a total of 2,400 over the six-month period. The mentors were contracted for a six-month period to facilitate the conversations. At the time the national lockdown started on 27th March the 16 mentors had managed to complete the first of three planned conversation cycles.

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The 12 mentors in the regions of Gauteng, Limpopo and KZN exceeded their collective target of 600 men for the first cycle and managed to take 688 men through the 6-pack conversations. The four Cape Town mentors started in March and only managed to take 104 men through the full cycle of six conversations. A total of 792 men participated in the conversations.

Participants in the conversations were recruited by the mentors from a variety of sources within their communities such as soccer clubs, NGO’s, street corners, taverns, taxi ranks and tuck shops. The conversations were held in a wide range of venues including people’s homes, soccer fields, street corners, car washes, community halls and churches.

The 12 mentors in the regions of Gauteng, Limpopo and KZN exceeded their collective target of 600 men for the first cycle and managed to take 688 men through the 6-pack conversations. The four Cape Town mentors started in March and only managed to take 104 men through the full cycle of six conversations. A total of 792 men participated in the conversations.

Participants in the conversations were recruited by the mentors from a variety of sources within their communities such as soccer clubs, NGO’s, street corners, taverns, taxi ranks and tuck shops. The conversations were held in a wide range of venues including people’s homes, soccer fields, street corners, car washes, community halls and churches.

“I am the protection that my community always needed. I am the role model that will build a better community.”

– Participant

I am the protection that my community always needed. I am the role model that will build a better community.

– Participant

Cape Town Mentor Training

The four Cape Town mentors were selected from recommendations made by Robert Nohamba who is a pastor in Gugulethu and has been involved for many years in the community. Robert has been engaged as a facilitator of #NoExcuse camps and workshops from the beginning of the Champions for Change programme and has been responsible for supervising the mentors in the Cape Town region. The four mentors were taken through a 1-day training programme on Saturday 22 February at the Belmont Square Conference centre in Rondebosch.

Craig flew down to Cape Town with one of the experienced Alex mentors, Sipho Khohlakala, and together with Robert Nohamba, spent the day running the mentors through the material and the process of facilitating the Champion Conversations. The four mentors all had prior experience in working with communities and left the day feeling confident and up to the task.

The mentors who went through the training were: Alexandra Siwisa, Mzwandile Dube, Lwazi Mapiliba and Eric Sipezi. Alexandra and Lwazi left the programme later in the year and Victor Pike was added to the team.

Cape Town Mentor Training

The four Cape Town mentors were selected from recommendations made by Robert Nohamba who is a pastor in Gugulethu and has been involved for many years in the community. Robert has been engaged as a facilitator of #NoExcuse camps and workshops from the beginning of the Champions for Change programme and has been responsible for supervising the mentors in the Cape Town region. The four mentors were taken through a 1-day training programme on Saturday 22 February at the Belmont Square Conference centre in Rondebosch.

Craig flew down to Cape Town with one of the experienced Alex mentors, Sipho Khohlakala, and together with Robert Nohamba, spent the day running the mentors through the material and the process of facilitating the Champion Conversations. The four mentors all had prior experience in working with communities and left the day feeling confident and up to the task.

The mentors who went through the training were: Alexandra Siwisa, Mzwandile Dube, Lwazi Mapiliba and Eric Sipezi. Alexandra and Lwazi left the programme later in the year and Victor Pike was added to the team.

Alex, Limpopo and KZN Mentor Training

The 12 mentors from Alex, Limpopo and KZN were selected from the network of men we had worked with during 2019 in the camps and community roll-outs. Training of the mentors took place over a 3-day period from 26th to 28th February at the B’Sorah camping ground in Magaliesburg. Facilitators from the Character Company ran the activities while Craig Wilkinson and the experienced Alex mentors ran the training sessions. Educational specialist, Trevor Naidoo, ran a session on facilitation techniques.  The 12 mentors who went through the training were: Khomotso Komape, Rathabeng Mamabolo, Kgomotso Kgame, Chinyama Anthony (Limpopo), Sipho Khohlakala, Mlungisi Jali, Charles Mphephu, Thembisa Tembe (Alex), Sphamandla Nhlabathi, Thabani Nkosi, Mlungisi Makhathini, Bheka Mkhize (KZN). Sipho, Mlungisi, Thabani, Mlungisi and Bheka left the team at the end of September.

Alex, Limpopo and KZN Mentor Training

The 12 mentors from Alex, Limpopo and KZN were selected from the network of men we had worked with during 2019 in the camps and community roll-outs. Training of the mentors took place over a 3-day period from 26th to 28th February at the B’Sorah camping ground in Magaliesburg. Facilitators from the Character Company ran the activities while Craig Wilkinson and the experienced Alex mentors ran the training sessions. Educational specialist, Trevor Naidoo, ran a session on facilitation techniques.  The 12 mentors who went through the training were: Khomotso Komape, Rathabeng Mamabolo, Kgomotso Kgame, Chinyama Anthony (Limpopo), Sipho Khohlakala, Mlungisi Jali, Charles Mphephu, Thembisa Tembe (Alex), Sphamandla Nhlabathi, Thabani Nkosi, Mlungisi Makhathini, Bheka Mkhize (KZN). Sipho, Mlungisi, Thabani, Mlungisi and Bheka left the team at the end of September.

What I learnt:

We need to call each other out and build each other while still young, because it’s harder to change a man that already has a house and tell him to grow up and change.

Linda Mkhwanazi

A lot of hearts would be changed and we would get rid of a lot of bad if we started sharing more.

Participant

Just because I was abused as a child doesn’t mean I will do the same. I will be a better person.

Jabu

There is life after rape and abuse.

Participant

We need to change our mentality, growing up abused must not cause me to abuse.

Andile Gwamanda

What will you change?

I will now respect and take advise from older people, I’m done with bad friends.

Ceboelihle Gabuza

I will let go of the anger that I had, It caused people around me to not feel safe when I am around.

Participant

I will be a Champion for change, I will be a role model to the boys growing up in my community.

Participant

I will be a good role model to my kid, brothers and community.

Xolani

What I learnt:

We need to call each other out and build each other while still young, because it’s harder to change a man that already has a house and tell him to grow up and change.

Linda Mkhwanazi

A lot of hearts would be changed and we would get rid of a lot of bad if we started sharing more.

Participant

Just because I was abused as a child doesn’t mean I will do the same. I will be a better person.

Jabu

There is life after rape and abuse.

Participant

We need to change our mentality, growing up abused must not cause me to abuse.

Andile Gwamanda

What will you change?

I will now respect and take advise from older people, I’m done with bad friends.

Ceboelihle Gabuza

I will let go of the anger that I had, It caused people around me to not feel safe when I am around.

Participant

I will be a Champion for change, I will be a role model to the boys growing up in my community.

Participant

I will be a good role model to my kid, brothers and community.

Xolani