At our recent Monthly Forum meeting, Hynd Shongwe shared about Amadodana (Young Men’s Guild) of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa, Highveld and Eswatini District
Founded in 1912, Amadodana (Young Men’s Guild) of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa, Highveld and Eswatini District was a response to what Black men were experiencing. Gender-based violence (GBV) is a systemic scourge fuelled by inequality and apartheid and other intersectional factors.
“As a men’s organisation we are committed to end gender-based violence and any other form of systemic violence and abuse,” explains Hynd Shongwe who is a member.
At their 2004 Triennial Convention, the Thokoza Statement of Faith and Life against GBVF was launched and Amadodana is currently reviewing and reflecting on the Statement.
Amadodana runs programmes and activities such as:
- An annual ‘Not in our name’ march against GBVF to an agreed police station within the Highveld and Eswatini District to deliver a memorandum against GBVF and to commit solidarity support to the SAPS in their mission against crime and GBVF.
- Men’s Summit/Imbizo to educate men about positive masculinity and the role of fatherhood
- Participation in the 16 Days of Activism against GBVF and activities of women’s month.
While Amadodana has been very vocal in women and children’s abuse, there has been a call for them to speak out for men who face abuse.
“Yes, men are being abused by women. For instance, when a man loses his job, he loses his role of fatherhood at home and often then experience abuse.”
Hynd has been involved with We Will Speak Out SA and the Faith Action Collective to End GBV for the last few years. Through his experience in the Faith Leaders’ Gender Transformation Programme (FLGTP), he launched a Men’s Charter.
He personally crafted the Heswa Young Men’s Guild Men’s (Amadodana) charter against GBVF and they publicly pledged and signed it as the Executive of Amadodana and encouraged the rest of membership to take personal responsibility and accountability.
“After signing the pledging, we asked men to then frame it and display in their living room, as a personal commitment that in this house, we don’t tolerate any form of systemic abuse, violence and femicide against any of God’s creation.”
* Photo: Zukile Nyelenzi, an Indodana in Germiston, Gauteng, plaquing the pledge in his living room as a personal commitment, responsibility and accountability against GBVF.