11/08/2026
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT FOR BOYS AND MEN TO CRY
As we unpack the things we carry, I’ve come to understand something important: boys need to know that it is okay to cry. Men need to know that it is okay to express what they feel.
Growing up, many of us were taught to be strong, to keep going, to never show weakness. Sometimes, even when we are hurting deeply, we cannot cry. We learn to hide our emotions, carry our pain quietly, and tell ourselves, “I’m fine.”
But I’m learning and unlearning every day.
There is a saying that “When there is no enemy within, the enemy outside can do us no harm.”** Sometimes the battles we fight within ourselves become heavier when we never allow ourselves to express what we are carrying.
Our CEO often speaks about a different kind of strength the strength to recognise what is happening within us, to confront it, and to become better.
To all the young men, husbands, fathers, brothers and sons: you don't have to carry everything alone.
Cry when you need to cry.
Talk when you need to talk.
Ask for help when you need help.
Rest when you are tired.
Heal when you are hurting.
Crying does not make a man weak. Sometimes, crying is how a man gives himself permission to keep going.
We also have a responsibility to teach our boys that emotional expression is not something to be ashamed of. And we must teach our girls to understand that healthy masculinity is not about having a man who never cries or never struggles.
Positive masculinity is about a man who can be strong and vulnerable.
A man who can provide, but also receive support.
A man who can protect others, but also take care of himself.
A man who can lead, but also listen.
A man who can say, “I’m not okay.”
A man who can be there for his family without losing himself in the process.
As an African proverb reminds us:
“A child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth.”
Let’s build villages where our boys are embraced, heard and supported not shamed for having emotions.
And another powerful African proverb says:
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
Let’s raise our boys together.
Let’s support our men together.
Let’s teach our girls to understand emotional strength.
Let’s create families where vulnerability is safe.
Because being a man is not only about being strong for everyone else. It is also about being present for yourself.
I’m still learning.
I’m still unlearning.
I’m still growing.
And perhaps that is the real strength having the courage to become better, not only for ourselves, but for the young men and families who come after us.
Let our boys cry. Let our men heal. Let our families understand. Let our villages become stronger. ❤️
