Cape Town - The Gentlemen’s Club started at Elsies River High School focuses on creating gentlemen who stand against gender-based violence, crime and other social ills.
The club, started this year, aims to teach boys about topics such as leadership, fatherhood, finances and career direction so they can become positive members of society and in their communities.
For many years, Elsies River has been subject to gang violence and social issues such as absent fathers and substance abuse.
There are 70 learners registered to be a part of the club, which is run by four male teachers at the school.
The group’s leader and co-ordinator, Nashville Solomons, said it is important in terms of developing the boys of the community into upstanding young men.
“We’ve seen the need to create the desire in young men to be better. The Gentlemen’s Club is important for us because we know it will inspire a generational change.
“We need to inspire them to be men who are going to stand up for themselves and are going to stand for what is morally right.
“Girls will feel much safer because there are young men who are trying to look after themselves but also look after the women in their lives. This group is going to be vital point of change for our school and our community.”
One of the boys in the club, Waylon Jacobs, spoke about how the club has impacted him.
“Where I live there’s a lot of gangs and I am surrounded by a lot of negative stuff in my area. We fight outside but here at school, with the gentlemen’s club, we put our differences aside and we’re like brothers.
“One of the things we did was give compliments to the girls at school and after that, the girls started speaking to us more often and that made me, and I’m sure some of the other boys, feel better about ourselves,” said Jacobs.
“The community have been very impressed by the new club and the response has been very supportive”, said Solomons.
He has been contacted by parents and schools from other areas about starting their own club, which highlights the positive impact the club has had so far on helping the boys create a better future for themselves.
* The Cape Argus Starfish project aims to help encourage young people to steer away from crime.
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