AIDS education for 20,000 7th graders in Zimbabwe

Summary

The project brings Grassroot Soccer’s AIDS education curriculum to 400 classrooms in Zimbabwe, encouraging 20,000 kids to adopt healthy behaviors and act as role models within their local communities.

What is the issue, problem, or challenge?

Grassroot Soccer harnesses the power of soccer in the fight against AIDS. GRS uses the popularity of soccer to reach adolescents through its effective AIDS prevention curriculum. GRS offers adolescents a soccer and games-based program that teaches HIV awareness and prevention, and one that empowers the children to break down cultural barriers and bring their communities together around this important issue. GRS programs are currently running in Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa.

How will this project solve this problem?

We will recruit and train professional soccer players and community leaders in the Grassroot Soccer AIDS curriculum to act as peer educators, implementing a proven activity-based education program that will reach all 7th graders in Bulawayo.

Potential Long Term Impact

The project will provide crucial education for the 20,000 7th grade students in Zimbabwe, helping them avoid HIV infection and encouraging them to break down cultural barriers to bring their communities together around the important issue of AIDS.

Project Message

“Every child has a right to the knowledge about HIV/AIDS prevention that could save his or her life. If your childhood idol had something important to tell you...you would listen.”
- Dr. Thomas S. Clark, Executive Director and Founder, Grassroot Soccer

Additional Documentation

This project has provided additional documentation in a Microsoft Word file (projdoc.doc).

Resources