Markham Launches New What About The Boys Collection to Fund Education and Mentorship Against Gender Based Violence

Markham has launched its latest What About the Boys (WATB) collection, continuing a four-year partnership that has helped equip thousands of young South Africans with the knowledge, support and positive role models needed to build a safer and more respectful future.

Every T-shirt and hoodie sold will help fund education, mentorship and meaningful conversations aimed at preventing gender-based violence.

As a key partner since the programme’s inception, Markham has supported What About the Boys in its mission to address gender-based violence at its roots. The programme creates safe spaces for young people to engage openly with issues including respect, identity, emotional wellbeing, positive masculinity, healthy relationships and personal accountability.

The partnership is founded on a simple but important belief: meaningful change starts early.

Programme impact and national reach

Over the past three years, What About the Boys has reached more than 60,000 boys across 180 schools in all nine provinces, supported by over 400 mentors and 35 strategic partners. Programme evaluation has also reported measurable impact, including a 67% reduction in bullying and positive shifts away from attitudes that support violence.

Markham’s ongoing contribution has helped support the national delivery of the programme, including school-based educational screenings, facilitated dialogues, mentorship sessions, learner resources and community outreach. These interventions give young people the opportunity to question harmful stereotypes, develop healthier ways of expressing emotion and better understand the impact their choices and behaviour can have on others.

“At Markham, we believe that what we stand for is just as important as what we sell,” says Akhona Booi, Senior Marketing Manager for Markham.

“Our partnership with What About the Boys is not a once-off campaign. It is a long-term commitment to helping shape the next generation of men and creating spaces where young people feel heard, supported and empowered to make positive choices. The impact achieved over the past four years shows what is possible when our customers, teams and partners come together behind a shared purpose.”

New collection and continued support

This year's Markham x What About the Boys collection features three items: two T-shirts and one hoodie. Every purchase from the WATB collection directly supports the programme, with R50 donated for every WATB T-shirt sold and R100 donated for every WATB hoodie sold.

Through the new Markham x What About the Boys collection, customers can play a direct role in helping to continue this work. Markham will donate R50 from every T-shirt sold and R100 from every hoodie sold to the programme.

Each purchase will contribute towards the continued rollout of education, mentorship and facilitated conversations in schools and communities across South Africa.

This year also marks the next phase of the movement with the introduction of What About the Boys 2, which expands the conversation to include girls. The evolution recognises that preventing gender-based violence requires shared understanding, mutual respect and healthier social norms between boys and girls.

By bringing young people into the conversation together, the programme aims to strengthen empathy, accountability and understanding while encouraging both boys and girls to become active participants in creating safer communities.

“For Markham, making your mark is about more than individual success. It is also about recognising the impact we have on the people and communities around us,” adds Booi.

“Every item purchased helps sustain a programme that works directly with young people to challenge harmful attitudes before they become entrenched. By choosing to support the campaign, customers are helping make this vital work possible.”

The Markham x What About the Boys collection is available at selected Markham stores nationwide and online at Bash.com.

About What About the Boys

What About the Boys is a national youth-development programme founded by Primestars. It takes a preventative approach to gender-based violence by engaging young people through educational screenings, facilitated dialogue, mentorship and learner resources.

The programme encourages emotional awareness, respect, positive masculinity, healthy relationships and personal accountability, helping young people recognise and challenge the attitudes and behaviours that can contribute to bullying, inequality and violence.

About Markham

Markham is one of South Africa’s leading men’s fashion retailers, offering current fashion, quality essentials and accessible style through its national store network and online at Bash.com.

Through its partnership with What About the Boys, Markham uses its platform and relationship with men and young people to support education, positive role models and meaningful social change.