Using the power of soccer to fight HIV/AIDS

The ‘Football to Protect Vulnerable Women from Exploitation’ will use the power of football to identify vulnerable women, engage them in safe football activities and to guide and support them to safe and productive alternatives to exploitation.

It is a partnership between the Homeless World Cup Foundation, the FIFA Foundation and four  Homeless World Cup Member Countries as the implementing partners:

• Kenya - Vijana Amani Pamoja (VAP)
• Tanzania - Future Stars Academy (FSA)
• Zambia - Bauleni United Sports Academy (BUSA)
• Zimbabwe - Young Achievement Sports for Development (YASD)

Given capacity and experience in their current women’s programme, Kenya was identified to establish a Regional Hub that will be used as a Centre of Excellence for women-focused programming. This will concentrate on developing and sharing tools to target support for approximately 600 vulnerable young women in recovery from or at risk of exploitation.

An additional 400 young men will be targeted during on and off-pitch activities, which will focus on positive masculinities and promoting equality and respect between the sexes.

The HWCF Regional Hub in Kenya will serve as a mutual learning centre for the Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe Members of the HWCF Network. The Hub will develop a curriculum of football and non-football activities all geared towards the three focus areas of:

1. Offering Safe Spaces: The pitch as a safe environment with links to women shelters where needed.
2. Delivering Training: Coaching, safeguarding messages, women’s empowerment and vocational training
3. Hosting or attending Women’s Tournaments: 1 per year in East Africa, to promote Homeless World Cup Member Countries’’ best practices and positive player stories.

It is hoped that an additional four African countries will be invited to attend the two African tournaments as an opportunity to participate in more women’s tournaments, share the pilot project results, and discuss possibilities for future replication.For more information:

https://www.homelessworldcup.org/news/footballtoprotectvunerablewomen

Annual community stake holders  forum was held at VAP’s Youth Empowerment centre, ‘A place of pride for the youth and the community’.The forum brought together various stake holders including:parents,teachers,participants,partners and like-minded organizations to discuss about the challenges and successes of  VAP’s programs in the community.The meeting is normally used as a ‘feedback lab’ where VAP collects,suggestions and opinions from the community and participants that helps to shape up the programs and the organization to effectively serve community needs.Additionally,the forum provides a platform for VAP’s partners to integrate and hear directly from the participants and members of the community about the challenges and impact of various programs implemented by VAP. “ My daughter’s self esteem and confidence was very low but when she joined VAP Employment and Entrepreneurship initiative,she has developed self esteem and confidence.The business skills she got enabled her to open her own business and VAP is walking with her through her business journey to make sure she stabilizes.” Jane’s mother.

FIFA Foundation Visits VAP\

As part of the global visits to projects funded by FIFA foundation,VAP was privileged to host FIFA foundation manager who paid a courtesy call to VAP’s offices and projects in the communities.The manager who visited in the month of October was taken to various community program sites witnessing first hand programs that are funded by FIFA foundation which includes;SKILLZ Kenya, a football based HIV education awareness program conducted in communities and schools using football based games that are integrated with HIV key messages.Later on she joined a group of young girls and young mothers, graduates of SKILLZ Kenya who are taking part in business trainings and are ready to venture into employment and entrepreneurship space of the world.The trip was wrapped up by visiting VAP’s offices to learn more about the organization,program challenges and successes amongst other things and moreover  plans by FIFA foundation to provide capacity building opportunities to organizations that are using football to empower the lives of young people.