On 18 August in Bangem, Visionary Care Foundation (VCF Cameroon), in partnership with Shalom Football and Sports Academy (Shafusa Mamfe), launched its first activity under the Catch Them Young programme, engaging adolescent boys as advocates for gender equality and positive masculinity.
Champions for Change: Boys Leading the Fight Against GBV
The session began with a simple questionnaire that revealed an important insight:
The boys could identify emotional, economic, cultural, and sexual violence, yet did not recognize these as forms of gender-based violence (GBV).
This gap highlights why early engagement is critical, boys must understand not only what violence looks like, but why it is harmful and preventable.
Building Values Through Teamwork
The day concluded with a football match where encouragement, cooperation, and dialogue replaced competition. On the field, the boys practised respect, empathy, and teamwork — demonstrating that sports can be a powerful pathway to positive masculinity and mental wellbeing.
Our Approach
Through Catch Them Young, VCF Cameroon uses football, games, arts, music, and dance to:
- Challenge harmful social norms
- Prevent violence
- Support mental health
- Promote gender equality
- Nurture adolescent boys as Champions for Change
This initiative marks the beginning of a three-month journey with these young change-makers, investing in boys today to build safer communities tomorrow.
The future Is stronger when change begins young.
