Ubomi Bonke: Reimagining Masculinity and Combating GBV in Kwandwe and Fort Brown

In the rural communities of Kwandwe (Brandeston and Kranzdrift) and Fort Brown, a powerful movement is growing. Through the Ubomi Bonke programme, young men are calling each other to take part in important conversations around identity, responsibility, and change. Run by Luvuyo Robson Mdoko, Ubunye's Community Facilitator, this new initiative is more than just a programme, it's a movement of young men towards healing, awareness, and accountability.

Day 1 of the Ubomi Bonke Programme

Why Ubomi Bonke?

Ubomi Bonke, meaning “Life for All,” was born out of an urgent need. Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in South Africa is rife and rising. Young men are particularly prone to abuse of women driven by growing levels of youth unemployment, substance abuse, frustration, and negative online influences. Ubomi Bonke was developed by young men in the area. Their aim was to create a space where they can discuss, educate and engage with each other around the issues of GBV, creating their own emotional resilience and healthier views of masculinity.

How It Works

The basis for Ubomi Bonke is an adapted training package for young men around preventing violence to young women (produced by Sonke Gender Justice). This is supplemented by sessions on counteracting the internet based influences of ‘manosphere’ which encourages young men in mysogny and abuse of women. The interactive training structured around storytelling, role-playing games, brainstorming exercises, and quizzes leading to reflection on gender roles, power dynamics, emotional regulation, and the roots of violence is completed over two weeks and followed up with weekly sessions.

These young men graduate as ambassadors, ready to spread their changes in thinking and behaviour to others; ready to grow the movement.  

“We don’t just talk to  them. We ask them to reflect, challenge what they know, and support each other,” Luvuyo explains.

Who It Reaches

 The young men come from the three local villages (Fort Brown, Brandeston and Kransdrift. Although the programme is aimed at young men aged 18–24 years, Ubomi Bonke has welcomed younger men into the sessions. “They are also exposed to the influences that lead to GBV. They need to learn early what healthy behaviour looks like,” says Luvuyo. Yet the aim is big. The Ubomi Bonke ambassadors will join with other advocacy groups throughout South Africa and become part of the bigger movement against GBV.

Presentations in progress

Early Impact

The ambassadors talk of change in their lives: “This programme is helping me heal from a traumatic heartbreak,” one young man shared. “It’s helping me believe I can move forward.”

“We want to see men thinking differently, acting differently, and becoming leaders of change in our communities,” 

Looking Ahead

Currently, Ubomi Bonke is only in Fort Brown area, but the ambassadors role is to grow the movement. Apart from talking to all young men in their villages they will also design a programme that can be rolled out to many more villages in Ngqushwa. In this way, they can grow the movement locally, and can link themselves to the national movement against GBV.

Real change doesn’t happen overnight, but it starts with honest, difficult and healing conversations sparked by young men themselves.