Beyond the Field: The BaBonise Campaign’s Strategy to Involve Men in Child Development

The BaBonise campaign, implemented by the DO MORE FOUNDATION and RCL FOODS, during the 2024 Selati Cup Soccer Tournament, was a resounding success, underscoring the crucial role of men in the lives of young children within the Nkomazi community. This campaign, aptly named "BaBonise," meaning "Show Them" in SiSwati, aimed to leverage the excitement surrounding the tournament to inspire men to take on more active and positive roles as caregivers, role models, and protectors of children. The campaign's key objectives were to encourage men to pledge their support in building strong foundations for the next generation, become positive male role models, and cultivate a culture where men proudly stand as protectors of young children and women in the community.

The BaBonise campaign centered around strategic engagement with the Selati Cup’s predominantly male audience, ranging from 18 to 60 years old. The campaign's activities included the recruitment of community stakeholders as BaBonise Ambassadors, collaboration with subject matter experts, distribution of resources in the local language, clear calls to action for spectators, and involvement of local media to spark community-wide conversations. These efforts culminated in a highly effective advocacy campaign that not only resonated with the target audience but also laid the groundwork for future scalability and adaptability.

Learning 1: Engage Community Stakeholders with Personal Investment

One of the most valuable lessons from the BaBonise campaign was the importance of identifying and empowering community stakeholders who are personally invested in spreading the advocacy message. These stakeholders, known as BaBonise Ambassadors, were crucial in delivering key messages to Selati Cup supporters during the final quarter and semi-final games. The ambassadors, who were extroverted, committed, and fluent in the local language, played a pivotal role in adapting the campaign’s messages to fit the cultural context of the community. Their dedication, driven by a genuine passion for the cause, ensured the campaign's success at the grassroots level.

Learning 2: Involve Subject Matter Experts

The involvement of experts in fatherhood and the role of males in young children's lives was another critical success factor. The campaign partnered with Heartlines and Sikunye, organizations with deep expertise in this area. By working with these subject experts, we could understand the key barriers that impact men's ability to show up as important fathers or male role models in the lives of young children. This understanding allowed us to adapt our calls to action and resources to address these barriers effectively.The research conducted by Heartlines highlighted several key barriers:

• Knowledge gap: Many men did not understand the importance of a male presence in children's lives.
• Role misconceptions: The belief that a father’s only role is financial provision was pervasive.
• Lack of skills and confidence: Men often lacked the skills or confidence to play, engage, or connect with children.
• Limited access to resources: Many men did not have access to resources or local support to amplify their role.
• Cultural practices: Practices such as "Inhlawulo" and lobola reinforced the role of men as financial providers only.

To address these challenges, we equipped our BaBonise Ambassadors with key messages that emphasized the importance of male presence in the lives of young children through simple yet powerful short sentences. We also utilized these key messages and radio programs on Nkomazi FM to debunk the myth that men are only financial providers. Additionally, we provided resource booklets filled with play ideas and activities, along with free online books for men to read with their children. We connected the audience with local support groups run by Sikunye through churches in Nkomazi, focusing on fatherhood and male role models. Furthermore, we facilitated cultural discussions on local radio shows, where Heartlines experts engaged in debates about the impact of cultural beliefs on fatherhood and how men can show up in their children’s lives.

Learning 3: Provide Resources in Local Language

To empower the audience to take meaningful action, the campaign made resources available in the local language, SiSwati. These resources included a booklet created in partnership with Heartlines and Sikunye, which provided information on local fatherhood and male role model groups, a WhatsApp hotline for queries, and free play resources for men to use with young children. The accessibility of these resources on low-grade smartphones, data-free, ensured that the campaign’s reach extended to even the most remote and underserved parts of the community.

Learning 4: Clear Calls to Action

The BaBonise campaign was distinguished by its clear and compelling calls to action. Spectators were encouraged to use the resource booklet to upskill themselves, join local fatherhood groups, and sign up for a WhatsApp broadcast group for ongoing fatherhood-related content. Additionally, a giant pledge board at the stadiums invited men to publicly commit to the BaBonise pledge, creating a sense of collective responsibility and community solidarity.

Learning 5: Involve Local Media and Start Conversations

Local media played a crucial role in amplifying the campaign's reach and impact. The campaign partnered with Nkomazi FM, a local SiSwati radio station, to deliver key messages about the role of male role models and fathers in young children’s lives. These 30-minute radio segments, featuring experts and community discussions, were instrumental in sparking conversations within the community. The engagement generated through these radio shows highlighted the importance of involving local media in advocacy campaigns to foster community-wide dialogue and engagement.

Conclusion

The BaBonise campaign at the 2024 Selati Cup was a highly successful initiative that demonstrated the power of community-driven advocacy. By engaging personally invested community stakeholders, leveraging expert knowledge, addressing cultural and knowledge barriers, providing accessible resources, issuing clear calls to action, and involving local media, the campaign effectively inspired men in Nkomazi to take on more active roles in the lives of young children.

The campaign's success not only improved outcomes for children in the community but also laid the foundation for scaling and adapting the BaBonise advocacy campaign to other communities and events. The model of attaching the campaign to a popular sporting event, where the audience is predominantly male, offers a powerful framework for future campaigns aimed at promoting positive male involvement in child development across South Africa and beyond.