In South Africa now, research shows that one in two children will grow up without their fathers, a worrying statistic that can have devastating effects especially on boys and on society.
South Africa has one of the highest rates of absentee fathers in the world. It's believed that 1/2 South African children will grow up without their fathers
"You are looking at about 35% of the population being children and if you look specifically at data on absent fathers you find that something about 14.6% of kids have absent fathers. To me that remains quite a challenge and its important that every person in society plays a role even if they are not our kids so we can always do something to make a difference," Thuthukani Ndebele, researcher with South African Institute of Race Relations, said.
For many children growing up without a father, it can be a lonely journey - - but for boys having an absent role model can have devastating consequences. But there's one NGO wanting to change the damaging cycle of single parenting.
"We are trying to raise boys to be good men because we feel that society is in desperate need of that , "We do it through long term intervention, when we talk about mentorship, it's not a big fancy thing, its about being there, it's doing the things typically dads would do so we see these boys in a long term process," Jaco Van Schalkwyk, director of Character Company, said.
Founded three years ago, they're goal is to help change South Africa's current culture of violence and abuse.
"The boy needs that interaction with dad, if you look at the development stage between 5 and 10 that is where a Dad has a big impact. We kind of see what we are seeing at the moment and it's going to keep on escalating, it will get worse because we have a generation after generation that is being raised without positive role models, and as I grow up in that space I start to look around for my identity and my purpose I will find it in all the wrong places," Schalkwyk said.
Character Company relies on good fatherly figure volunteers.
"For me its wonderful because I don't have my own kids and I always wanted kids and I have just really been able to be special to somebody and they are special to me," Volunteer Michael Moore said.
Boys look for for role models in men, They look up to men and they will choose the men that are around them and if they have the wrong people around them then they will learn the wrong things so it gives us a wonderful opportunity to influence them in the right way.
Character Company's mission is to restore and equip boys to become one day excellent fathers and positive role models.
"Its very important because the first time when I wasn't with the character company I just didn't know all of this stuff". They've taught me respect, kindness, which I didn't really like because I wasn't really that kind, honesty, and self discipline and courage".I'm going to be a wonderful husband and man when I grow up," Donovan said.
"The Character company makes. I am more comfortable with myself and teaches me how to be brave, to much the the character company gives me courage, " I love Uncle Jaco and all my members to infinity and beyond. I think this place will make me into a wonderful man," Brighton said.
This NGO runs weekly programmes for groups of no more than 5 boys at a time. In total 30 boys are benefitting from this long term mentorship. But if it had more volunteers it could reach other fatherless boys and raise a new generation of men.
