{"id":391804,"date":"2026-03-20T22:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-20T20:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/informante.web.na\/?p=391804"},"modified":"2026-03-20T15:27:56","modified_gmt":"2026-03-20T13:27:56","slug":"engagement-promotes-positive-masculinity-and-supports-boy-child-development","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/informante.web.na\/?p=391804","title":{"rendered":"Engagement promotes positive masculinity and supports boy child development"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Staff Reporter<\/p>\n\n\n\n
BOYS and young men in Namibia are being urged to embrace positive masculinity, pursue education, and actively participate in shaping their futures, as part of a community engagement hosted by Hope Initiatives Southern Africa Namibia (HISA) at the Kilimanjaro Centre. The event, attended by stakeholders from government, education, and civil society, focused on the challenges facing boys in education and the importance of responsible leadership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking at the event, His Excellency Lt Gen (Rtd) Epaphras Denga Ndaitwah, First Gentleman of Namibia, emphasized that many boys risk disengaging from school, underperforming academically, and facing social challenges that limit their opportunities. He highlighted national data showing that in 2023, 8,720 boys dropped out of school, with higher repetition rates and lower grade progression compared to girls. \u201cThese boys could be our future engineers, doctors, entrepreneurs, and leaders,\u201d he said. \u201cWe must act decisively to guide and support them today.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ndaitwah stressed that positive masculinity is grounded in responsibility, empathy, respect, service, and accountable leadership\u2014not dominance or aggression. Promoting these values, he said, complements national efforts to support the girl child, ensuring that all children have equitable opportunities to thrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The engagement also focused on strategic interventions, with Ndaitwah calling on research institutions, universities, and development partners to study the root causes of boys\u2019 disengagement and to design evidence-based programs. \u201cWe will soon launch deliberate and strategic interventions aligned with international best practices to promote the holistic development of the boy child,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He urged boys to take advantage of opportunities such as subsidised tertiary education and the Youth Development Fund to build sustainable futures. \u201cWhen we invest in boys, we invest in a stronger, healthier, and more prosperous nation for all,\u201d Ndaitwah concluded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The engagement brought together government officials, including Khomas Governor Sam Shafiishuna Nujoma and Windhoek Mayor Sakaria Uunona, community leaders, educators, parents, and members of the media, highlighting the collaborative effort required to support young men in Namibia.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Staff Reporter BOYS and young men in Namibia are being urged to embrace positive masculinity, pursue education, and actively participate in shaping their futures, as part of a community engagement hosted by Hope Initiatives Southern Africa Namibia (HISA) at the Kilimanjaro Centre. The event, attended by stakeholders from government, education, and civil society, focused on …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":391805,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-391804","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n
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