Encouraging men to face their traumas

Fanafikile Lephakha has blossomed from growing up in rural Phuthaditjhaba in the Free State to being internationally recognised as the first black South African to cross the Atlantic in a rowing boat.

Lephakha went to the University of Johannesburg where he became a qualified chemical engineer.

He secured a job at the South African brewery where he worked for a year and later left to pursue his passion of becoming a life coach.

He explains that he had a yearning to do something new that would also challenge his ability.

This lead him to apply to be part an adventure to row 5 500 km across the Atlantic Ocean in 45 days with world-renowned explorer Riaan Manser.

Lephakha spoke about how he endured several near-death experiences after countless wind storms and having their boat capsize, to being frequently ill and physically fatigued from rowing nine hours a day.

Lephakha said the experience taught him to deal with his emotions head-on. During the adventure, Lephakha also learned that his mother had passed away.

“I rowed constantly with tears running down my face but I wanted to keep going.’’

He adds that he was in a space with very few distractions and he could not run from his problems this changed his way and outlook of dealing with problems.  

After having faced several emotional experiences which were a result of his mother’s passing and near-death experiences during his voyage, Lephakha explains that he saw a gap in the country's outreach programmes for men.

He wanted to encourage South African men to face their insecurities and deal with their childhood traumas which often have a ripple effect.

His love for personal development led him to establish a program called Mind Refinery.

“Traditionally men, were taught ‘indoda ayikhali’(a man doesn’t cry). If you feel you need to cry then cry,’’ he said.

He wants to encourage men to work on themselves and not view emotion as a sign of weakness.

He hopes to reach young boys all over the country and for his organisation to become and academy.

Lephakha is widely known for his unconventional hikes across the Drakensberg Mountains of KwaZulu-Natal where men are taught to come face-to-face with their emotional traumas.

He advises young people to always go for what they are passionate about.

Through determination, anything is possible.