Story by Farai Gwaze
LOCAL advocacy for the boy child is gaining traction through initiatives like Mr Heritage Zimbabwe, a male pageant platform that tackles the societal challenges faced by boys.
Current Mr Heritage Zimbabwe, Munashe Siyanata, who claimed the title in December 2024, is on a mission to revive the traditional ‘Padare’ culture, where older men mentor young boys in navigating life’s challenges and community engagement.
“As Mr Heritage Zimbabwe, my role is to share the culture that we have as a country and also as a mental health advocate. We are also working on bringing back the ‘Padare’ culture where we have older men, teaching young boys how to navigate their way through life and how to work hand in hand with others in the community.”
The initiative, led by country director Shelton Chiyangwa, seeks to empower boys nationwide through programmes such as anti-drug and substance abuse campaigns.
“Mr Heritage Zimbabwe King, Munashe Siyanata and the organisation at large have been embarking on massive and critical programmes across the country, which seeks to empower the lives of the boy child. A few of the programmes we have been doing include the anti-drugs and substance abuse campaign.”
The organisation aims to share Zimbabwe’s rich heritage and promote positive role modeling.
