By: Natasha Archary

Founder of the Daddy Awards South Africa, Neo Mothopeng joins Gugulethu Mfuphi on Kaya Biz explaining why he launched the initiative to honour men who are changing the stereotypes around fatherhood.
“I had a relationship with my father that wasn’t so great, and after he passed, I had a son, and in becoming a father, I realized how much I had missed out on in my relationship with my father.
It started as an idea when I was taking care of my son during Covid-19, and it hit me, like ‘yoh, this is hard.’ I wished I could engage with fathers who were going through the same, or who had done it and done it well, so they could share some pearls of wisdom.”
Neo Mothopeng founder of Daddy Awards South Africa
The idea for a Daddy Award was just a playful concept in the back of his mind, but after researching, Neo was disturbed by the alarming statistics and negative perception of fathers in general, and in particular in South Africa.
Neo wanted to change this narrative and pave a new way forward for the fathers and father figures who are present, and who show up for their kids every day.
What the awards aim to achieve is to start a new men’s movement celebrating and encouraging positive and active fatherhood in the country.
“Positive fatherhood is not just about being present but about actively engaging in the lives of our children.
The awards will highlight the positive impact that involved fathers can have on their children’s lives and encourage men to take an active role in their children’s upbringing.”
A virtual awards ceremony will take place on 21 October, and Neo is hoping the Daddy Awards South Africa will be an annual event.
The awards is open to all dads and father figures in South Africa.
Listen to the conversation on Kaya Biz:
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