With almost 11 women killed every day, South Africa has among the highest recorded rates of female homicide in the world. Meanwhile, according to police statistics, over 12,000 rapes were recorded in the last 3 months of 2023 alone. To break the cycle of violence, one NGO has launched a mentoring program called iNtsika yeThemba – or Pillars of Hope – that aims to turn South African boys into “everyday activists” and defenders of women and girls.

Ona recent weekend, 39 boys ages 13 to 15 gathered at a lush campsite an hour outside Cape Town for a field trip filled with sports, mock Olympics, games and candid conversations about identity, masculinity, and the pressures of teenage life in some of the country’s most disadvantaged communities.