A new initiative in Windhoek is helping men open up on their mental health wellbeing, a topic most struggle to talk about.

The Game Changers, Gym Conversations programme is creating a safe space where fitness meets honest conversations, giving men the opportunity to strengthen not only their bodies but also their minds.

The initiative, which started in 2023 through One Economy's Breakthrough pillar, was created to encourage men to engage in discussions about wellness, emotional wellbeing, and social challenges affecting their lives. 

In partnership with the Be Free Foundation, the initiative brings together mentors, social workers, and community leaders who guide discussions on mental health, gender-based violence, femicide, and violence against children.

The vice chairperson of Delivery Room Foundation and a mental health mentor is Lloyd Sikeba.

"We've tackled understanding what mental health is. Yes, there is a narrative that we now understand what mental health is, but we don't understand how to then go about what happens within these areas of mental health. How do I protect the people around me? How do I live in a society where women are empowered, and how do I encourage them? How do we coexist in a world that is ever-changing and that is ever-evolving in terms of roles? How do I also learn how to handle my emotions, my triggers and what makes me angry?" 

For many attendees, Sikeba says the initiative provides something they rarely find elsewhere: a judgement-free space where they can speak openly about pressure, trauma, and personal struggles.

He further says the gym environment helps men feel more comfortable, making it easier for them to open up and share personal experiences.

An intern social worker at the Be Free Campus, Olsen Siyunda, says the programme has already made a noticeable difference. 

"The Game Changers gene conversations was one of our initiatives because we wanted to see in what way we can engage men since we have, like, the most engagement for women and multi-talk in both men. So we brought in four mentors and four chins. So they come in, and they discuss more mental health, gender-based violence and femicide, as well as violence against children, just to educate men."

According to Siyunda, the programme was introduced after noticing that many community programmes mainly attracted women, leaving a gap in engaging men, especially those aged between 13 and 35.