‘Boys also need emotional presence’ – Kobby Kyei tells parents

Nii Ayitey Brown 18:48 - 30 August 2026

Add Pulse as a preferred source on Google

Ghanaian blogger and humanitarian Kobby Kyei

Ghanaian blogger and humanitarian Kobby Kyei has warned that the pressure on boys to appear strong and hide their emotions could leave many of them struggling in silence and ultimately affect the kind of men they become.

Speaking in an interview with Pulse Ghana, Kyei said his advocacy campaign, BoysLivesMatter, was born from repeated encounters with boys dealing with poverty, abuse, school dropout, child labour, streetism and a lack of support.

He noted that one issue that stood out from his interactions with vulnerable boys was the fact that society often expects them to be strong without first asking whether they are coping.

“What struck me was how often society expects boys to be strong without asking whether they are okay,” Kyei said.

According to him, the problem goes beyond financial hardship. He said many boys are also dealing with emotional neglect because they are often taught from an early age not to cry, complain or openly discuss what they are going through.

“One of the biggest problems is neglect, particularly emotional neglect,” he said.

Kyei explained that repeatedly telling boys to “be a man” can make it difficult for them to ask for help when they are struggling.

“A boy who is constantly told to ‘be a man’ can sometimes grow into a young man who doesn’t know how to ask for help,” he said.

A call to action

Kyei said his work in the media initially gave him an opportunity to document the experiences of vulnerable people, but his encounters with boys eventually convinced him that reporting their stories alone was not enough.

He said he began asking himself what would change after a boy's story had been told.

“At some point, documenting these stories was no longer enough for me,” he said.

“I asked myself, If I tell this boy’s story and walk away, what changes?” he added.

That question, he said, pushed BoysLivesMatter beyond a media campaign into an advocacy platform aimed at connecting vulnerable boys to practical support.

“I decided that BoysLivesMatter could not only be on camera. It had to be a bridge between vulnerable boys and people who can help them,” Kyei said.

He said the initiative has helped connect some boys to education, mentorship and opportunities, while also responding to urgent needs where possible.

The challenges facing boys

In July 2025, as part of the #BoysLivesMatter campaign, we partnered with Little Givers Foundation to support boys at Yeboakrom Primary and JHS in the Eastern Region with school uniforms and essential learning materials. 💙

Healing Boys, Transforming Generations.… pic.twitter.com/W0CLbELzGj
— #BoysLivesMatter (@KobbyKyei_) August 25, 2026

Kyei said his experiences have exposed him to boys facing several challenges, including poverty, school dropout, streetism, child labour, physical and sexual abuse, broken family structures, substance exposure and a lack of mentorship.

He also pointed to the absence of safe spaces where boys can speak honestly about their experiences without fear of being judged.

“Sometimes a boy is not looking for money or a solution. He simply wants an adult he can trust enough to say, ‘This is what I’m going through,’” he said.

‘Boys are not in competition with girls’

Kyei said his focus on boys should not be interpreted as an attempt to compete with or undermine advocacy for girls.

“I don’t see BoysLivesMatter as a competition for attention, my focus is boys because that is the area where I have chosen to contribute,” he clarified.

He argued that supporting boys and girls should be treated as part of the same effort to build healthy families and communities.

“Boys are part of Ghana’s future. The boys we neglect today become the men, fathers, leaders, workers and decision makers of tomorrow,” he said.

Kyei calls for early intervention

Kobby Kyei believes support for boys should begin before their problems become serious. He called on schools to create safe spaces where boys can discuss emotional struggles, bullying, abuse and family problems.

He also called for stronger mentorship and urged parents to pay attention not only to their children's material needs but also to their emotional wellbeing.

“Parents need to understand that providing food, clothing and education is important, but emotional presence matters too,” he said.

He also urged communities not to ignore cases involving the abuse or exploitation of boys and called for government to strengthen child-protection systems, counselling and social support.

Kyei said his long-term goal is to build BoysLivesMatter into a sustainable national movement that helps identify vulnerable boys early and connects them to education, mentorship, skills and other opportunities.