What About the Boy Child? A New Era in Men’s Mental Health

There is a story of a 16-year-old boy who sat on the back steps of his school, staring blankly at the gravel beneath his shoes. Just days before, he had learned that he was going to be a father, something he neither planned for nor understood fully. No one had ever spoken to him about contraception, sexual responsibility, or even how to manage the flood of emotions he was now drowning in. He didn’t know where to go for help,  or even that he was allowed to ask.

This boy’s story is not unique. It’s the story of thousands of South African boys navigating adulthood without a roadmap. And it’s why the Modern Community Foundation (MCF) is asking the urgent and necessary question: What about the boy child?

A Hidden Crisis, Now in Plain Sight

June is globally recognised as Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, a time meant to spotlight the internal battles men often fight alone. But in South Africa, this month holds even deeper meaning. Suicide remains one of the leading causes of death among South African men, with men accounting for nearly 80% of suicide fatalities, according to SADAG. In townships, informal settlements, and rural communities, these numbers are even more devastating.

While these statistics are alarming, they are not surprising. For too long, South African society has taught boys to suppress emotion, avoid vulnerability, and "man up" even when they are breaking down inside. When they suffer from depression, anxiety, or trauma, often rooted in poverty, violence, or lack of access to education, their pain is ignored or dismissed. This culture of silence has deadly consequences.

MCF believes that healing starts with listening ,and acting.

Bridging the Gap Between Mental and Reproductive Health

In partnership with the private and public sector, MCF has spent years advocating for the reproductive health of young girls through the Zakhele Reusable Pads program. But through those same community engagements, a startling pattern began to emerge: boys were being left behind.

Sexual health education almost always centered around the girl child. Meanwhile, boys, many as young as 13 or 14, were reporting involvement in teenage pregnancies, confusion about consent, and rising rates of sexually transmitted infections. According to the latest UNFPA data, 14% of South African boys aged 15–19 have already been involved in teenage pregnancies. The silence around their sexual health is both systematic and harmful.

The Boy Child initiative by MCF is a direct response , not as a reactionary campaign, but as a permanent, structural intervention. It acknowledges that boys, too, need support, education, and safe spaces to ask questions, learn, and grow.

Through this initiative, MCF is delivering holistic programming that does more than advocacy. It dives into emotional intelligence, consent, healthy relationships, and mental well-being, tying sexual responsibility directly to mental health. Because a boy who understands his body but doesn’t understand his worth, or his feelings, is still at risk.

By pairing reproductive health education with access to psychosocial support, MCF envisions a generation of boys who are not only informed but empowered. Boys like Luyanda won’t have to stumble through fatherhood unprepared, or worse, spiral into hopelessness because they think they’re alone, and with the right partnerships they will have mentors, workshops, toolkits, and most importantly, a community that sees them.

Rooted in LNOB and the SDGs

This initiative doesn’t stand alone. It’s deeply aligned with the Leave No One Behind (LNOB) commitment and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequality).

Too often, gender equality efforts unintentionally sideline boys by focusing exclusively on empowering girls. MCF passionately supports continued investment in girls,  but insists that true equality cannot exist without inclusive attention to boys’ health and growth.

The Future Depends on the Boy Child Too

Modern Community Foundation is uniquely positioned to lead this charge. With deep community roots, lived understanding, and a proven track record in reproductive justice, MCF is redefining what inclusive empowerment looks like.

We know that a healed boy becomes a grounded man, one who contributes positively to his family, his workplace, and society at large. We know that when boys understand mental wellness and sexual responsibility, cycles of violence, poverty, and trauma can begin to break.

So this June, as we honour Men’s Mental Health Month, let’s stop asking boys to “tough it out.”

Let’s instead ask: How are you really doing? What do you need? And how can we help you heal?

Because the boy child is not just the future. He is the now.