By Mncedisi Maseko
X: @fmsquared_sa
On the 18th of May a remarkable event took place at Soshanguve block G at Hethlon church
where men from all walks of life, united by a common goal: To restore the role of heads in
families by stopping the bleeding and mending broken hearts.
The event brought hope and healing, uniting man to share experiences and find strength
together. It was a thoughtfully organized event with the aim to help tackle various challenges
that men face as family heads. The seminars led by Lucky Mahlangu a program director and a
radio host at Soshanguve FM, J Ledwaba a legal and business advisor, Bishop Simelane a religious
leader, Thabo Malapile a stress & sleep specialist, H. Maphaha a business, family, and
relationship advisor, Molefe Musi a group facilitator. They all offered practical advice, open
discussions that helped men to freely speak and break the stigma around men’s mental health
and emotional well-being.
Meals were prepared for all attendees as the event lasted six hours. This was part of the effort
to ensure that everyone could participate in the dialogues without interruption, with the aim of
creating a welcoming environment.
The event highlighted the importance of emotional healing and the role of supportive people in
and around one for personal growth and family unity.
“Our mission is to uplift and empower men of all ages from all walks of life, spiritually,
emotionally and otherwise, in order to enable men to discharge their godly and manly
responsibilities.” Said Jimmy Ledwaba a legal and business advisor.
Most speakers highlighted that being responsible, transparent, honest, and accountable are
crucial qualities, especially in marriages.
Thabo Malapile a stress and sleep director for mental health, states, “I am here today to talk to
men about mental health challenges, to encourage them that as individuals you cannot afford to
fail, and it is important for men to realize that we need each other, to assist each and to back up
each other. The idea for us to meet today is to find a better solution that will help men in a sense
that they are able to heal and find a better vison of themselves.”
Malapile addressed the stigma around mental health, he also emphasized the need for open
dialogue and support among men.
Sfiso Mabhena, one of the members and attendees of the seminar, shares his experience: “The
reason I joined this group is that it helped me to freely speak my problems and be able to get
expect advice from all our expect advisors and group members. The group is so helpful, I wish
other men can join to better understand themselves and be able to deal with challenges that."
they face in their daily lives and freely speak their problems as this program is a safe space for
all men going through challenges and cannot speak to anyone else.
The attendees were delighted as the seminar was ending as most of them are keen on
attending the next event and hope that people (men) will show up in numbers to also mend their
broken hearts.
Lucky Mahlangu, founder of Mending Broken Hearts and the event host and organizer, stated,
“I believe that today’s mission and goal were achieved because of the engagement from the
men. It shows that men are broken and really need a platform to vent, be restored, and healed.
We are basically saying let’s locate a boy child from a father, uncle, and grandfather and spread
the gospel that this is a safe haven for every man from ages 10 to 80years. We host these
events monthly, and the next one will be in June, with the date to be announced soon.”
As people leave, they feel inspired and connected by the stories and decisions shared. The
friendships made here offer hope to men looking for comfort and help. Each chat and
handshake plants the seeds for a better future for families and communities.
first Source Thabo Malapile a stress and sleep director for mental health. https://on.soundcloud.com/kMog69JPZVRFKp1s5
second Source Sfiso Mabhena, one of the members and attendees of the seminar. https://on.soundcloud.com/u4sAQ3U2zaCmhTKTA https://on.soundcloud.com/u4sAQ3U2zaCmhTKTA
Third Source Lucky Mahlangu, founder of Mending broken hearts. https://on.soundcloud.com/6Luicss1oDcKY4BF9
( 3 Audio Links to be inserted )
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