Anglo American's 'Caring for the Boy Child' campaign: A step towards mental health awareness
Caring for The Boy Child workshop session at Assmang Primary School, where young boys were given care packs.
Image: Supplied / Anglo American
ANGLO American’s Ambassadors for Good programme has launched a five-week mental health initiative for boys at Assmang Primary School in Postmasburg, aimed at encouraging emotional awareness and reducing stigma among learners in Grades 4 to 7.
The “Caring for the Boy Child” campaign is being run in partnership with Therapist on Wheels, a mobile wellness organisation that provides counselling and emotional support services. The programme offers structured sessions designed to help boys better understand and manage their emotions, build resilience and develop healthy coping mechanisms.
Workshops are facilitated by Ambassadors for Good volunteers and focus on creating a space where learners feel comfortable discussing personal challenges and experiences.
Jessicah Seekoei, a social performance specialist at Kumba Iron Ore and an Ambassadors for Good volunteer, said the initiative was aligned with the programme’s broader community focus.
“We see this as something that really shows our purpose,” Seekoei said. “It’s about creating safe spaces in schools where young people feel comfortable expressing themselves.”
The campaign responds to ongoing concerns around the emotional wellbeing of young boys, particularly in communities where issues such as absent parental figures, exposure to crime and limited access to psychosocial support remain prevalent. Mental health practitioners have repeatedly warned that a lack of early emotional guidance can affect long-term personal, educational and social development.
The Postmasburg programme forms part of Anglo American’s wider community and education-based initiatives focused on mental health awareness and youth development.