20 Apr 2026

Percy Thaba, the founder of the Healthy Family Foundation, along with his wife, Ashley, have highlighted the importance of establishing a solid foundation within marriages.

Their advocacy highlights the need for couples to prioritise communication, mutual respect and shared values in building and maintaining a successful marriage.

Speaking during a month-long family building workshop in Selebi Phikwe, Ashley emphasised that most couples took time to prepare for a wedding, which cost them considerable amounts of money, but failed to plan for a marriage, something that would last a lifetime.

Ashely said it was time people changed such an approach, and encouraged couples to take time in figuring out why they wanted to marry and what they needed to accomplish in life before seeking a lifelong partner.

She said the deteriorating state of families in the country had led to several negative outcomes such as high divorce rates, the increase in the numbers of orphans and vulnerable children, the rise in gender-based violence incidents, and the spread of HIV and AIDS.

Ms Thaba explained that Healthy Family Foundation therefore sought to contribute to efforts to strengthen families, with the hope that healthy families would create people who would contribute positively to society, and to show that marriage could be a blessing and could inspire others through real and honest conversations.

She said in marriage, it was important to address conflicts rather than avoid them so as to build a strong and well-organised family.

She said that as a couple that had remained married since 2004, they had made a bold decision to open up about their marriage to the world.

“We shared the good, the challenges, and answered real questions about our journey, but that does not mean that we are perfect”, she said.

Percy emphasised the significant impact of the workshop they held in Selebi Phikwe to encourage couples to journey toward building stronger families.

He noted that participants had come to truly value their efforts in creating better family dynamics, and many had shared personal stories about their experiences, which served as a testament to their commitment to improvement.

Furthermore, Percy encouraged participants to engage their children in meaningful conversations, underscoring the importance of nurturing family relationships.

He believed that open dialogue with children could significantly contribute to building a cohesive and supportive family environment. ENDS