By Wanique Block
Robbie Malinga Jnr also known as ‘Rob Mally’ has launched The Boy Child Initiative in honour of his late father and musical legend Robbie Malinga Snr.
“My father is linked within this initiative, as we both used to assist underprivileged children for a number of years so after the heart-breaking result of his death I had decided to continue the series of reaching out to those in need.”, Robbie Jnr tells Kaya 959.
Launched in 2017, The Boy Child Initiative is said to facilitate and understand conversations around mental health and mental well-being, particularly with boys and young men.
“The Boy Child Initiative is an initiative campaign with the aim of giving the boy child a voice and support, whether that emotional support or just the necessary resources needed by a boy child. As well as providing a sense of endearment, which isn’t necessarily given or received in society or in their homes.”
With this initiative 20-year-old, Robbie Jnr has invited five boys, from underprivileged backgrounds, between the ages of 13-19 to luncheon with him on Sunday, 27th February 2022.
In addition to facilitating conversations around mental health, the event is said to be a safe space to understand the challenges that these boys face in their daily lives.
“Everything in life revolves around your mental state and health. If your scenario or situation in life isn’t comfortable and you are not in a positive space that automatically increases anxiety levels and that results in depression in most cases.
“The mental state of a young boy child is important because that is how the boy will develop to be in our society, if neglected and not attended to and nourished wholeheartedly often we result to negative outcomes we face in our everyday world of today, for example, Unmanageable anger, GBV, Suicide, and our high ranking rape statistics in the country”, Robbie Jnr shares.
In conversation about how this initiative may be perceived as sexist, Robbie Jnr tells Kaya that although this initiative focuses on the boy child, it is not sexist.
He goes on to further explain the importance of building young men to be better leaders and people in society.
“The Boy Child campaign is in no way a sexist intention and is just a graceful initiative that intends to build young men that can lead our future world in the right path and be able to treat other people accurately in society and most importantly Women”
Excited for the future, Robbie Jnr hopes that the boy child receives the same amount of “tenderness’ and “warmth” a young female or woman receives in society today.
“With this initiative, I hope that a young boy child receives the same equal tenderness and warmth a young female or woman receives in our world of today.”
Read Next: Robbie Malinga’s wife honours his memory with new book
