Wise Giraffe
South Africa • Cape Town
Archie van Biljon
“To help men develop their authentic selves through the facilitation of local men’s camps.”
Archie van Biljon started men’s camps, “Mannekamp” for farmworker men in Ceres, a farming community. Similar to the New Warriors but adapted to the community and in Afrikaans, the language of the community. This had a profound experience on the participants, their families and their employers, instilling a culture of accountability, an experience of acceptance by and integration into, the community. They have put through about 600 men, and are working with a solid core of experienced community men as trainers. Finance comes from the employers. “The majority of these men are low paid laborers trapped in an inter-generational poverty sub-culture. Most encouraging for me is the personal transformation of so many men regarding alcoholism, low self-esteem, job advancement, higher income and improved family life.” Archie is married with two children and two grandchildren.