Dr Vuyo Yokwe is the founder of MindZown, an online educational platform for Mental Health awareness. Below is the personal story through which Dr Yokwe struggled with depression while he was a clinical manager of a hospital in the Eastern Cape.

“My mother became my SAFE SPACE; all other men need one too.”

Being a medical doctor did not give me an upper hand in dealing with depression. I faced brutal feelings of unworthiness, pervasive sadness and loneliness. To numb the pain, I became dependent on alcohol which was now tempering with my work due to withdrawals when I have not taken alcohol. This brought clear lack of passion and productivity. I had many colleagues and experts that surrounded me so it should have been natural to seek and receive readily available help, but I did not. Somehow seeking help was embarrassing. It felt like I needed pity.

It took my mother to approach my then CEO, in a sentiment that she was not about to lose her son to such circumstances of deteriorating value of self and helplessness; in so doing becoming the lifeline and SAFE SPACE I needed. That deed dramatically opened my eyes to the reality that most men are just not wired to seek for help. I thought, if I do not gather available help, how difficult would it be for a man who is not within the health system to gather strength to navigate for help while depressed and facing stigma.

What my mother did ignited my desire to help more men to get a shot at a SAFE SPACE in their lives to fight fairly against depression and emotional pain. The Man Vitality Conversation seeks to provide just that help.

The Sello Maake kaNcube foundation brings a creative innovation into the conversations, where the insights gathered through the conversations will be translated into visual plays and actionable teaching craft.

Mr Sello Maake kaNcube who has contributed immensely to the South African society through his voice and performing arts and is trusted by the nation in putting together work that has ability to shift cultures and tell stories that can change disabling status quos.

Such events like Father and Son and the recently well received play, The Voice are paramount in the education of our black society in addressing the struggles of both the man, who needs societal guidance and the women affected by Gender Based Violence respectively.

Like no other the Sello Maake kaNcube Foundation is the one tool needed to address the needs of our men going through depression, dark times and even death through taking of own lives.

The foundation is intentional in educating the nation on mental issues affecting men and the struggles of the Boy Child.

Recently, the foundation has persuaded the Black Management Forum to cherish the opportunity to co-host a Boy Child initiatives in the Western Cape and the Man Vitality Conversations in recent webinars.

The founder of the foundation has years of experience in conducting training and implementation of initiatives in the workplace and in the corporate sector. Next event....Love to volunteer....DigiForm