While everybody is riding on some #menaretrash hashtag.
I had a previlege of being shown around what my fellow brothers down in my home town, Port Elizabeth were doing. Oh! man, did I find gold, diamond and pearls all in one packet from my hood or what? A perfect love story that will send you weeping this father's day week.
Yes, this week I thought let me warm your precious hearts a little with this great love and work done by my fellow black brothers ie uMhlobo Wenene Fm youth programme presenter Sizwe aka Slyso Saliso, Bantu Mtshiselwa,Sebenzile Zalabe and Luvuyo Star Nyembezi.
I thought I should share what these guys have been up to since the news of the arrival of their bundle of joy in this world. The kind of men that we do not often read about or hear their good deeds until around this time of the year. But this team make you believe every word South African eighties pop star, Ricarddo Groenewald sang on his hit song, I Love you daddy. If you thought Will Smith's just the two of us hit was meant for the Americans, think again.
This fatherhood quartet are the brains behind #BlackFathersStandUpZA a movement that aims at opening conversations around fatherhood especially in the hood where majority of households are ran by single mothers.
According to statistics South Africa, 61% of the children born in the country last year were fatherless. Meaning no details of the fathers were recorded at the time of birth and the same percentage did not live with their father.
"The first day I hold my boy, I had butterflies in my stomach. I couldn't believe that this thing I had anticipated for so long was finally here. Forget circumcision but from that day forth, I truly became a man," said Saliso whose personal instagram account will have any single lady melting and dreaming to be that perfect wife.
He has filed almost every bonding moment he has shared with his now twelve year old son. Slyso also shares his life lessons through his love for music with son and the range varies from the old school R n B to actually watching Micheal Jackson's This is It together.
"I've been there from day one bought car seats for her mother and changed many dippers. It is so beautiful to watch him grow really.
These four brothers-one I met in primary school many years ago, the other other three through my work as a community newspaper journalist in my town- are here to change the game and provide more visibility on fathers that are present in their children's life. Through their daily experience they want to open up discussions as well as influence other male figures to be present in their children's life.
Oh boy! do they practise what they preach? A scroll down their personal account you will be floaded with pictures and videos and some poetry adorable poetry."My life was never the same. I'm far from a perfect father but that does not stop us from being in love"
Campaign manager, Bantu Mtshiselwa,says everything was started out of frustration from the society especially the black community. Tshiselwa, who was raised by a single mother and is familiar with what the fatherless children are going through said.
"We also wanted to highlight that there are fathers who are present in their children's lives and create a debate and a support system for them. But not forgetting to motivate others to take part in it as well", he said.
The aim is to breakaway from the tradition of what role men must do domestically and understand everyone whether the child was planned or not should take responsibility for their action. " Impregnate a woman can be scary,think of it like causing an accident. There are those drivers who will say shit, what have I done and start running. Then there are those that say, ok this has happened and how do we make the most out of it. How do we enjoy this blessing...It is a blessing and an everlasting love".
The initiative comes into two folds, community talks and online campaigns. The first on is spreading the message by holding regular community gatherings to converse and to engage on this problem to find solutions together as men. On our gatherings we invite a panel of experts on legal matters, on psychological effects and we include traditional community leaders to engage and teach the audience on the consequences of being an absent father for the community as an entity.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kK8_e8dfrswMXZZP6jeI7D7sWfwpttvH/view
AS most of our followers know, last week we-the Ndabeni Creative team- honored an invitation to dress this year's contestants of Mr and Miss Freshettee in Nelson Mandela University, Eastern Cape South Africa.
How the SLK Group company and Mhimhi Connections came to know about us is another story for another day.
But the director Mhimhi Mbondlela Mayolie's invitation was more of an instruction for us to come home.
"Do business at home Khanyi.
We looking for people like you, who are in Johannesburg but can exchange skills home while eating too.
Come see your family and friends, we love you" those were some of her kind words during our first telephonic conversation.
Of course, she knew my mother and maternal family of the Ndabeni clan who are all over the Eastern Cape.
The trip came at a time when the company celebrated its first year of operating under a registered name, Ndabeni Creatives.
Mhimhi Connection has been part of the organizing team of the annual university event, for the past four years.
This year the organizers celebrated the life of German fashion designer, Karl Lagerfeld.
https://twitter.com/MadibazRadio/status/1122230781886308352?s=19
Mhimhi wanted the models to be accessorized with South African and Kenyan(Maasai and) and the modern wooden beads wear, these are the items we specialize with.
The trip however, came with a huge challenge, 600 kilomtres away from Port Elizabeth and about seven hours away from Johannesburg. We experienced a breakdown.
Yes we managed to get to Port Elizabeth and deliver on our promise but the car however left me with a lot of questions for both Toyota South Africa in terms of service and the road assistance function of my insurance company, Dial Direct.
Yes, as per her instructions, we met almost everyone from the family. Our first stop was at my mother's grave to check on the tombstone and say few words to her.
The family,the AmamPondo tribe was also thrilled to see us and were proud to see us promoting culture across all South African tribes.
This, and the coverage of cultural topics among st some of the university students scored us a radio interview with the MG Connection, a show hosted by Eastern Cape based female pastor Ningi Dlamini from the Christian radio station, King Fisher FM.
We were also fortunate to connect with friends from the second largest radio station in the country, uMhlobo Wenene Fm.
Where we were once hosted on the award winning show, Khanya Gqiyazana
by presenter, Lulu Haarmans (Christmas Day)and former journalist now author, Mafa Bavuma(youtube link of umhlobo wenene).
As someone who has lost touch with the developments in the entertainment industry, but it was good to have a chat with(pic of the group) the newcomers and hip hop group based in Nelson Mandela Bay.
Also amongst the judges of the event sponsored by Absa and Madibaz radio was Miss Sundowns.
Not only did we have an opportunity to dress models, we were thrilled to meet up with some of the Njoli Rastafarians who are also in art and craft and showed them how to use the King's Beach Summerstrand Sunday market to showcase their work.
On the business front, proud to announce that Africandrumbeat, a traditional dance group based in Port Elizabeth will be wearing our staff and our items will also be available at Blakes in Traduna Mall.
https://youtu.be/OLfG_q3vC68
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facebook: khanyiswa ndabeni
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You Tube: Khanyi Ndabeni
https://youtu.be/OLfG_q3vC68
More pics from the trip
I had a previlege of being shown around what my fellow brothers down in my home town, Port Elizabeth were doing. Oh! man, did I find gold, diamond and pearls all in one packet from my hood or what? A perfect love story that will send you weeping this father's day week.
Yes, this week I thought let me warm your precious hearts a little with this great love and work done by my fellow black brothers ie uMhlobo Wenene Fm youth programme presenter Sizwe aka Slyso Saliso, Bantu Mtshiselwa,Sebenzile Zalabe and Luvuyo Star Nyembezi.
I thought I should share what these guys have been up to since the news of the arrival of their bundle of joy in this world. The kind of men that we do not often read about or hear their good deeds until around this time of the year. But this team make you believe every word South African eighties pop star, Ricarddo Groenewald sang on his hit song, I Love you daddy. If you thought Will Smith's just the two of us hit was meant for the Americans, think again.
This fatherhood quartet are the brains behind #BlackFathersStandUpZA a movement that aims at opening conversations around fatherhood especially in the hood where majority of households are ran by single mothers.
According to statistics South Africa, 61% of the children born in the country last year were fatherless. Meaning no details of the fathers were recorded at the time of birth and the same percentage did not live with their father.
"The first day I hold my boy, I had butterflies in my stomach. I couldn't believe that this thing I had anticipated for so long was finally here. Forget circumcision but from that day forth, I truly became a man," said Saliso whose personal instagram account will have any single lady melting and dreaming to be that perfect wife.
He has filed almost every bonding moment he has shared with his now twelve year old son. Slyso also shares his life lessons through his love for music with son and the range varies from the old school R n B to actually watching Micheal Jackson's This is It together.
"I've been there from day one bought car seats for her mother and changed many dippers. It is so beautiful to watch him grow really.
These four brothers-one I met in primary school many years ago, the other other three through my work as a community newspaper journalist in my town- are here to change the game and provide more visibility on fathers that are present in their children's life. Through their daily experience they want to open up discussions as well as influence other male figures to be present in their children's life.
Oh boy! do they practise what they preach? A scroll down their personal account you will be floaded with pictures and videos and some poetry adorable poetry."My life was never the same. I'm far from a perfect father but that does not stop us from being in love"
Campaign manager, Bantu Mtshiselwa,says everything was started out of frustration from the society especially the black community. Tshiselwa, who was raised by a single mother and is familiar with what the fatherless children are going through said.
"We also wanted to highlight that there are fathers who are present in their children's lives and create a debate and a support system for them. But not forgetting to motivate others to take part in it as well", he said.
The aim is to breakaway from the tradition of what role men must do domestically and understand everyone whether the child was planned or not should take responsibility for their action. " Impregnate a woman can be scary,think of it like causing an accident. There are those drivers who will say shit, what have I done and start running. Then there are those that say, ok this has happened and how do we make the most out of it. How do we enjoy this blessing...It is a blessing and an everlasting love".
The initiative comes into two folds, community talks and online campaigns. The first on is spreading the message by holding regular community gatherings to converse and to engage on this problem to find solutions together as men. On our gatherings we invite a panel of experts on legal matters, on psychological effects and we include traditional community leaders to engage and teach the audience on the consequences of being an absent father for the community as an entity.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kK8_e8dfrswMXZZP6jeI7D7sWfwpttvH/view
