• Qonce initiation school makes sure poor families can send their sons to become men.

• The school teaches boys to share and care for others while learning traditional values.

A special initiation school in the Eastern Cape is teaching boys not just how to become men, but how to care for others who have less.

Ulwaluko Care Givers in Zwelitsha township, outside Qonce (formerly King William’s Town), helps boys from poor families go through their traditional rite of passage.

Founder Silumko Vazi says his brother inspired him by being a caring traditional nurse during his own initiation in 2010.

“My brother made the experience less traumatic for me by the way he treated me; he taught me a lot and made sure I learnt as much as possible from the experience. He went as far as ensuring I had applied for tertiary studies while I was there,” he said.

“I was very impressed with this and wanted it for other boys as well. So that is how this initiative was born.”

The school teaches boys to be kind and humble men.

“Every initiate has their own hut, which we build ourselves, and then we have one big hut where all the initiates gather for teaching, eating and sleeping. In this hut, we teach about the importance of sharing; we share the food among each other so those who do not have food are also able to eat.”

The group collects clothes and shoes from past initiates to help new boys who can’t afford them.

“Since we start engaging with the families even before the initiates undergo the process, we are able to assess the home situation and speak to initiates from [previous] seasons to donate clothes, shoes and other things,” Vazi explained.

The school plans to open an office in Qonce to make it easier for parents to sign up their sons.

“Right now, we are only asking those who have old clothes, blankets, shoes and other things to donate. We do not accept cash donations, but we’re open to accepting food vouchers for the next season,” he said.

The summer initiation season started on 15 November 2024 and ends on 15 January. Twenty initiates have so far died in the province during this season.

Pictured above: Traditional Xhosa initiates walking on a field.

Source: Facebook