Changing the narrative of fatherhood in South Africa
Danny Painter spoke to Lyndsey Petro from Innovation Edge about their new project that aims to change the narrative of fatherhood in South Africa.
Thousands of children in South Africa grow up without their fathers.
This is due to several reasons – death, broken families, fathers choosing to be absent or instances where mothers hide their pregnancies from the fathers.
Sadly, children who grow up with absent fathers can suffer lasting damage.
Research has proven that present, supportive, and learning fathers or father figures in a child’s life leads to better emotional, academic, mental, social, and behavioural outcomes for children.
READ: Unmarried fathers to get full access to children in new bill
According to all4kids.org, research has also proven that children who grow up with a father figure are 75% less likely to have a teen birth, 80% less likely to spend time in jail, and half as likely to experience multiple depression symptoms.
Danny Painter spoke to Lyndsey Petro from Innovation Edge, an investor focused on solving early childhood challenges in South Africa, about their new project that aims to change the narrative of fatherhood in South Africa.
The organisation has launched a call for bold solutions to increase positive involvement by South African fathers and father figures in the early years of their child’s life.
Their call was launched on 23 August and runs until 30 September.
It is offering funding for ventures focused on positive parenting by South African fathers.
They welcome submissions from individual innovators, registered non-profit and for profit social enterprises in South Africa.
Listen to the podcast below to hear how you can support this great initiative that is aimed at positively changing the lives of children in South Africa.
READ: Touching message from nine-year-old to his father
Image courtesy of iStock/ @fizkes