Fades and Feelings is a bold, human-centred initiative that reimagines the barbershop as a mobile sanctuary for healing, mental wellness and brotherhood. 

Junias David coined the concept during his consultancy with the One Economy Foundation. 

He wants to create safe, affirming spaces where young men, especially those unsheltered or at risk, can receive grooming services paired with mentorship, psychosocial support and real conversation. 

“Rooted in empathy and lived experience, Fades and Feelings will roll out in two phases: an initial Pop-Up Barbershop in Windhoek (2025-2026), followed by a nationwide Mobile Barbershop Van reaching underserved areas. The project targets young men aged 13-35, with a special focus on homeless youth,” said David. 

As part of his mandate, he championed Majitah Monday Conversations. 

In this weekly male dialogue session, boys and young men from Windhoek’s underserved areas gathered to talk honestly about life, struggles, masculinity, purpose and social well-being. 

“In one of those sessions, a boy casually mentioned how he felt most comfortable talking to his barber. Others nodded in agreement. This sparked the question, ‘What if the barbershop wasn’t just a place for haircuts but healing?” he said. 

David then led a human-centred design process with the boys, who consistently craved organic, relatable spaces rather than top-down, clinical interventions. 

They wanted brotherhood, real talk and something that looked and felt like them. 

David is part of the Mandela Washington Fellowship programme. 

The youth leader is placed at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, pursuing leadership in the civic engagement track. 

Namibia faces alarming rates of male youth unemployment and homelessness, high suicide rates, especially among young males, and a lack of culturally resonant mental health support. 

“Existing mental health services are often inaccessible, clinical or stigmatised, especially by boys and young men in low-income communities. There is a dire need for alternative, youth-led and trust-based spaces to support mental and emotional wellness,” stated David. 

Among others, the plan is there to restore dignity to unsheltered and vulnerable youth through grooming and support, create safe spaces for men and boys to express their struggles without judgment, equip barbers with basic psychosocial and counselling skill, promote brotherhood and healing using non-clinical, trust-building environments, as well as scale an African-born model of mental health support rooted in culture and accessibility. 

The core concept of Fades and Feelings intersects grooming (fades) with emotional expression (feelings), forming a unique hybrid of physical care and psychological safety. 

Fades and Feelings is more than a haircut programme. It is a revolution in how to heal boys. 

David believes that by meeting them where they are, speaking their language and honouring their lived realities, people can fight stigma, shame and hopelessness. 

His vision is simple – give a boy a haircut and he will smile. 

Give him a safe space, and he will start to dream again. 

-psiririka@nepc.com.na