As I look ahead to 2025, one of my primary goals is to produce at least one photo essay or feature each month. In January, I kicked off the year by creating a photo essay highlighting the New Year’s Celebration in Hillbrow, which was a great way to start my 2025 creative journey.

However, February was a different story. Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to produce any content that month, as I struggled to find a topic that inspired me. I did consider focusing on men’s health, because there was a lot of discussion during that time about men being hesitant to visit clinics.

During the unveiling of the HIV campaign—South Africa’s government strategy to get 1.1 million people living with HIV on antiretroviral treatment by the end of 2025—Mr. Pule Goqo, the SANAC men’s health chairperson, spoke about how men often avoid spending the whole day in clinic facilities. Additionally, Ms. Ane Githuku-Shongwe, the UNAIDS Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, posed a critical question: how, where can we find men and persuade them to prioritize health check-ups?

Furthermore, while attending the RESET Live event with John Craig and Mail & Guardian, Dr. Fundile Nyathi, Founder and Chief Executive of Proactive Health Solutions, also emphasized that men are often inactive when it comes to their health checks. Thus, men’s health could have been a compelling topic for me to explore as a feature or photo essay. It’s definitely something to consider for future topics.

I say all this to announce this new space on my website, a blog. This space will be a refuge for my thoughts, offering a more personal glimpse into my world. Whenever I find myself unable to produce a full-feature story or photo essay every month, you can count on this blog to keep you engaged with a variety of topics.

I don’t know how many writing classes I have attended, primarily because I have always been afraid to speak and write in my second language, English. During my time at university, I felt that the quality of my high school education was undermined by one particular lecture, which led me to retreat into the shadows instead of exploring my potential or speaking up. Therefore, I will use this blog to change the narrative that was imposed on me. I will share personal experiences that shape my faith, insights from my career journey, and reflections on my life’s milestones and challenges. From the lessons I’ve learned to the moments that inspire me, this blog will be a candid extension of my creativity and passions. I invite you to join me on this journey of exploration and self-discovery.

Cebisile Mbonani

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