Trailblazers Boys Club: Going Against the Tide

Trailblazers Boys Club in Victoria Falls is a safe space where boys are mentored and coached as they grow into responsible men. Founded in 2020, the club began with approximately 15 or 16 members, primarily boys between the ages of 12 and 14. Today, it also includes younger boys, some as young as nine or ten.

Mentor Frank believes it is important to begin working with boys early because changing deeply rooted attitudes takes time.

“A mindset is not something that you can easily just reprogram,” he explains. “If you start with them a little bit earlier, before they even get into high school, there is a huge impact that goes with it.”

Blazing a New Trail

The name Trailblazers reflects the club’s desire to challenge cultural ideas about masculinity, particularly attitudes toward women.

“We are the ones who are blazing the trail,” Frank says. “We are going against the tide of culture.”

He explains that empowering women alone does not create the balance needed for lasting change. Boys and young men also need opportunities to reconsider how they view women, equality, and empowerment.

“If we want women to really thrive and keep to the inspiration and aspirations of their dreams and potential, we need to make sure today’s men also have a mind shift.”

A Place to Be Yourself

Trailblazers is a space where boys can express themselves without judgment. Their backgrounds, appearance, academic ability, and circumstances do not determine whether they belong.

“We inspire one another to become better versions of ourselves,” Frank says. “There is no discrimination. It’s a place where one is allowed to be themselves, express themselves, and learn from each other.”

During discussions, Frank reminds the boys that there is no wrong answer. Each response reflects how someone currently understands a topic, and that understanding may change when they encounter new ideas or information.

“It’s not a place where we judge people,” he says. “It’s not a place where we condemn people.”

Rethinking Manhood

The boys enjoy outdoor activities such as soccer and chess, as well as conversations connected to their daily lives. Living in a tourist town surrounded by wildlife, they are interested in environmental conservation. They also engage enthusiastically with topics including time management and what Frank calls “the myth of masculinity.”

Frank sees cultural ideas about manhood as one of the greatest challenges facing boys in his community. Some boys feel pressure to prove themselves through substance use, multiple relationships, abuse, or violence.

“If you are so violent, you are a real man,” he says of the message boys may receive. “Those are some of the things that the young men and the boys in our communities would face.”

The club gives them room to examine these messages and consider different ways of being men.

Walking the Talk

Being a positive role model is central to Frank’s approach. He believes mentorship must extend beyond the words shared during club sessions.

“If I’m going to inspire my club members to be the best version of themselves, I should also be the best version of myself,” he says. “It has to start with me.”

He wants the boys to see mentorship in his actions, relationships, and home life, even when he is not speaking.

“Mentorship is not a stage presentation,” Frank explains. “It’s about your life, how your life is becoming an example of what you are saying.”

Becoming a Trailblazer

For Frank, one young club member, Tino Tender, captures the spirit of Trailblazers. Tino joined when he was young and had little confidence or belief in himself. Through weekly sessions, ongoing conversations, and home visits, Frank watched him become increasingly confident and willing to speak.

Tino also became an overall winner in the Creative Expressions Contest, which Frank believes was last year.

He has learned to sew reusable sanitary pads, challenging the idea that boys and men should not engage with menstruation.

“He’s not just a young man who is saying, ‘I know about menstruation. We should not discriminate,’” Frank says. “He’s actually saying, ‘I am for the empowerment and support of a healthy period for our sisters.’”

Frank describes him as “a true definition of a trailblazer.”

More Than Friendship

Honesty, integrity, confidence, and being true to yourself are among the values emphasized within the club. Boys are encouraged to stand up for what they believe is right, admit when they have made mistakes, apologize, and be men of their word.

“A confident man is a competent man,” Frank tells them. “Your confidence can be the key to unlock those opportunities.”

Although members come from different backgrounds and do not necessarily know one another when they join, their relationships have grown.

“These boys, they are now a family,” Frank says. “It has gone beyond just being friends.”

They notice when someone is absent, follow up with one another, and cooperate in changing groups without excluding others.

Frank hopes they will become responsible men who value family, partnership, and working together.

“I’m very confident about the Trailblazers Boys Club,” he says. “If we can have such kind of leaders, we will definitely have a better country, a better community, and a better world.”