TEENAGE TATA young fathers take responsibility

The aim of the study was simple: If we knew more about these young men's lives, our programmes, practices, policies and prejudices may be challenged. Subsequently, the Teenage Tata study (tata is the isiXhosa for father), funded by Save the Children Sweden, offers a unique window into the worlds of 27 young black South African men, aged between 14 and 20. It gives voice to the unheard cries of ‘boys' discovering what it means to be ‘men' and parents in the midst of the harsh economic and complex cultural realities of South Africa.

Despite their wide-ranging experiences of disappointment and frustration - with themselves, with their inability to find work and support the child financially; with being excluded from their child's life through cultural restrictions; and with their powerlessness to negotiate relationships with the mother of their child's family - the study ultimately showcases young fathers' sense of responsibility towards their children and their emotional investment in them.

Strong emotional responses

As young fathers shared their stories of mistimed and (mostly) unplanned fatherhood, and how deeply they wanted to be good fathers, they displayed a kaleidoscope of emotions: ‘scared', ‘shocked', ‘ashamed', ‘happy', ‘excited'. Most keenly expressed, however, was the high level of responsibility that these young men feel towards their children. And how paralysed and inadequate they feel when they cannot provide for them.

‘Some guys run away when the baby's born [because] he thinks like "No man, I don't have money, so I'm worse for my baby", so they run away,' explained Onathi. These young men further spoke of three main reasons for accepting their child as theirs: knowledge that they had made the girl pregnant; fear of the consequences of denying the child (community censure and ‘bad luck'); and the role of their own fathers in their lives.

Ironically, some young fathers explained that it was the fact that their father had not denied paternity that encouraged them to accept it, whilst others argued the exact opposite. No matter what the reason for accepting their children, the strongest discourse remained one of taking responsibility.

For the majority of these young men this sense of responsibility was tied in to their sense of masculinity. The word ‘responsible' and ‘man' were frequently used in the same sentence: ‘I'm a grown up now - I'm a man - I have to be responsible,' announces Sifiso.

Frustrations and disappointments

Besides the sense of responsibility these young men felt after the fact, they were also quick to point out their lack of responsibility that resulted in conceiving the child in the first place: ‘Not listening during sex education classes'; ‘Having multiple partners' (or ‘spare wheels'); ‘Not believing pregnancy would happen to me'; ‘Failing to use condoms' (preferring instead sex ‘skin to skin' or ‘meat to meat'). Most expressed deep disappointment in themselves.

Others spoke of the frustration they felt with their culture. Speaking of his estrangement from his child, Lwandile poignantly commented: ‘You know, in our culture, if you are a boy you have nothing to say.' He was referring to the way in which his family had managed negotiations, damage payments and his schooling so that he was not deterred from career ambitions through having to be concerned about a child. The result, in the words of his close friend, summarised the effect of this cultural practice: ‘Now it seems like you do not care about [the child].'

These young men also spoke of the changes that accompanied the arrival of their children. The first concern was money. They resigned themselves to having less money to spend on themselves. Giving up school and taking on work was another change, like Jabu who said, ‘I'm now responsible. I know I have to work.' Consequently, failure to find work left young men despondent and hopeless.

For many, social activities on weekends also changed dramatically due to a shift in priorities. The young men spoke of no longer wanting to be involved in dangerous activities such as drinking in taverns, fighting or stealing. These life changes reflect young men's conscious choices as they take on the responsibility of being fathers.

Recommendations from the young men

The young fathers had much to say about what might have helped them avoid premature fatherhood. Many spoke of the need and desire for open communication about sex from adult males in their family: ‘Elders shouldn't be shy to talk about sex to young people.' Another factor was the lack of leisure activities and entertainment in their communities.

They also offered insights about what would help them be the parents they so desired to be. Increased employment opportunities were consistently cited as a real need. Those who had stopped school to get a job out of a sense of responsibility now find themselves struggling to find work. They expressed the need for educational and employment assistance in various forms, ranging from providing skills to young fathers, to government supplied crèche facilities at school and in the community.

A strong theme was the idea that providing support through peer educator networks would be a great help to the young fathers.

Another plea for help was for emotional skills, like coping with stress and knowing how to communicate, especially with the young mother's family.

Conclusion

These 27 young men have tried to navigate the world of fatherhood when many themselves still need to be fathered. While they reflect only one side of the story - taking responsibility rather than running way - it is a story frequently unheard. Their remarkable commitment and maturity against the backdrop of poverty and complex cultural expectations offer hope for policy and programmatic interventions.

It is shocking how few services exist for these young men. They are not invisible in their communities yet service providers frequently fail to accommodate their needs. Young fathers need to be brought together in small community groups, and helped with practical and emotional needs. In turn they offer strong insider advice to their younger friends and brothers: ‘Wear condoms', ‘Don't mix alcohol and sex' and ‘Be responsible' as one night of passion leads to a lifetime of fatherhood. Their message is clear. Having a child whilst a teenager is not a tragedy - but it is difficult.

Dr Sharlene Swartz is a sociologist and researcher at the Child, Youth, Family and Social Development (CYFSD) research programme and a visiting research fellow with the Centre for Commonwealth Education, University of Cambridge. Professor Arvin Bhana is a psychologist, the deputy executive director at CYFSD, and an adjunct associate professor in the School of Psychology, University of KwaZulu-Natal.

The research monograph titled Teenage Tata: Voices of young fathers in South Africa is available from the HSRC Press or for free download at www.hsrcpress.ac.za.