Across the world there are growing concerns about the destructive impact certain male role models and social media channels are having on the attitudes, behavior, and wellbeing of young men.
Determined to ensure that their own young males are raised to be open-minded, inclusive, and caring towards themselves and others, a group of Kenyan Connectors have been running workshops offering compassion training to teen boys.
The most recent took place in late August and involved 22 boys from Kibera. Kibera is the largest urban slum in Africa and boys there are often prayed upon to become part of gangs involved in violence, drug trafficking, and other illicit activities. The Connectors hope to help these boys think beyond these influences and connect with their own needs and the needs of the family and neighbors around them.
Leonard Normans who helped organize the activity said:
“We are changing community. My own son was affected by these gangs that pray on our young people and so I was determined to do something about it. Given the platform to do so by the GCC I’ve been able to contact families and other organizations in the Kibera slums to organize this training which I can already see is leaving the imprint of compassion on these young men’s lives.”