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Flora Fadzai Sibanda, [email protected]
Growing up without his father’s presence, Mr Hlaisane Mjono wrestled with anger and frustration.
As a child, he often threw tantrums, yearning for attention and answers that never came. The emotional scars ran deep, and societal expectations of masculinity forced him into silence for years.
Determined to break the cycle, Mr Mjono founded Project: Men, an initiative dedicated to providing a safe space for men to openly share their emotions and experiences. The platform supports men in becoming more emotionally connected, caring, and loving sons, uncles, fathers, and friends.
“We focus on helping men become better versions of themselves by developing positive habits and improving their mental, physical, and emotional well-being. All my life, I struggled to cope with my father’s absence,” said Mr Mjono.
“I remember asking myself, What was wrong with me? Why didn’t my father want me? But I never got the answers.”
Mr Mjono realised he was not alone in this struggle. Many men, he observed, bottled up their pain, lacking the spaces to express their vulnerabilities.
“I remember telling a friend how much I wished my father had wanted me,” he recounted. “He simply responded, Hlai, my father left before I was born. Fathers leave. That moment struck me. It made me realise that so many men carry wounds they never speak about,” said Mr Mjono.
This realisation led him to start Project: Men, a community where men come together, share their stories, and support one another.
“Many men and boys are deeply troubled, and it manifests in their behaviour, sometimes through anger, aggression, or even abuse towards their loved ones. Our initiative provides a space where men can say, I want to be better. I need help,” said Mr Mjono.
Beyond conversations on mental health, Project: Men is making tangible impacts. Through sponsorships from well-wishers, the initiative supports boys by paying school fees and ensuring they have access to education.
“For now, we focus on men and boys because they’ve often been neglected. Men face unique challenges, but society’s expectations make it difficult for them to seek help,” said Mr Mjono.
“However, we are not ignoring the girl child, as we run sanitary pad drives and sponsor a few rural girls. Still, our primary mission is to empower boys and men.”
Over the years, Project: Men has launched various programmes, including Beyond the Beard, which educates men on physical and mental health, suicide prevention, discipline, and family and relationship dynamics.
“I wish more men’s groups could be started so that men can share their experiences without fear of being ridiculed or rejected. In five years, I hope to see major expansion, increased membership, and greater engagement in our activities and programmes,” said Mr Mjono.
By promoting open dialogue and emotional healing, Project: Men is redefining masculinity, one conversation at a time. —@flora_sibanda
Online Reporter