Sport Kenya Project #1885

Using the power of soccer to fight HIV/AIDS

by Vijana Amani Pamoja (VAP)

Project Report | May 19, 2009
Kick N Test VCT soccer tournament

By Nacy Waweru | Program Director

SCORING TO THE NET OF THE VCT CENTRE

Statistics show that soccer in Kenya is the sport that matters. Every town has a team. Players are heroes and role models. Simply arriving at a dusty field with a soccer ball wins instant friendships. The global soccer community has a responsibility in the fight against HIV/AIDS. We lead this effort, using the power and popularity of the game, to teach girls and boys aged 13-18 years about HIV/AIDS awareness and critical life skills. KICK N TEST VCT SOCCER TOURNAMENT

On 4th April 2009, Vijana Amani Pamoja - VAP (former CASL) went a notch higher by hosting a Kick N Test VCT soccer tournament. An exciting day of football, voluntary counseling and testing - VCT and grassroot soccer activities. The tournament was organized under the theme of “jijue” (Swahilli language, means ‘Know yourself’). A total of 16 teams both boys and girls of ages 13-18 years from all the walks of Eastlands part of Nairobi converged at Bahati Community centre in readiness to participate in this unique 7-a-side street football tournament. The top two teams from each group played in the final to be crowned Kick N Test champions.

AN EXTRA BOOST OFF THE FIELD

What made this tournament special? The teams did not get points only for winning or drawing a match, but also for participating in the Grassroot Soccer activities and VCT over the course of the day. In the event of a tie, these extra points were more important than the points from a match. Out of 120 participants 65 youth were tested and every youth/player that was tested walked out with a t-shirt plus a bonus point to his/her team.

One player from each age group was chosen as Soccer Champion, based on his/her performance in the tournament, and one as Spirit Champion, based on his/her enthusiasm in the Grassroot Soccer activities.

WAY FORWARD

Following the success and the out-come of this first tournament hosted by VAP ever, we are focused and determined to leave no stone unturned and take every soccer opportunity to fight HIV/AIDS amongst our community. VAP is hoping to organize more of this tournaments and it is now seeking more financial support from donors and well wisher from all the walks of the world.

Attachments:

KNT REPORT.doc (DOC)

1 Attachment

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Mar 17, 2009
Visitor postcard: Capitol Area Soccer League

By Marc Maxson | GlobalGiving staffer

In downtown Nairobi I waited for Eunice Ndeche, the founder of Capitol Area Soccer League (www.globalgiving.org/1885) to show me to his offices. The 4-lane highway was clogged with Matatus and buses. I noticed a few horse carts dodging traffic in the nearest lane, opposite the Kenyan Central Bank. Only there weren’t any horses or donkeys, just burley men dragging supplies on their carts. I reached for a camera to save this strange juxtaposition of modern and archaic. One of them smiled at me as he gave the yolk of his cart a yank. He smiled at me. “Hey wazzap!” he said.

CASL’s offices were on the 6th floor of a 20-floor high rise. As we boarded the elevator, I thought, this doesn’t feel like a typical globalgiving project! I thought our projects are village-based grassroots operations. When I saw CASL’s office I understood. CASL (http://www.globalgiving.com/pr/1900/proj1885b.html) and Best Buddies Kenya (www.globalgiving.com/1741) share one five-foot square cubicle subleted from another company. CASL has a staff of 18 with 2 full time employees. They all cram in here when they need to. This is what “cost-effective change” looks like; two NGOs crammed into one cubicle because there isn’t enough donor money to support the Geneva convention’s minimum human space requirements. Each of these organizations operate on less than $5000 a year and they need your help. They don’t have money for big ad campaigns or media consultants. The staff is a handful of 20-something youths trying to curb the spread of AIDS. Imagine what you could do for them if you just re-tweeted their needs or used GlobalGiving’s new “tell a friend” tool to help them as a “virtual volunteer.” We’re on a listening tour of Kenya because there is so much more we can learn from our client organizations in person. The organizations I’ve seen are not always as I expected, but I have been impressed with what they’ve done with our donors’ support.

CASL is planning a soccer tournament in two weeks (www.globalgiving.org/1885). They wanted to host 16 teams but currently only have funding for half that. They’ve successfully courted ColaCola and SarafiCom (mobile phones) in the past but the economic downturn has put a damper on youth sports AIDS prevention. They expect to host 60 players. All will be tested for HIV and will partake in AIDS awareness education. I got them signed up on twitter and you should be able to follow the tournament live on March 28th, 2009 (@endeche or @globalgiving on twitter). In addition they have a youth network of teacher trainers who go to schools and combine sports education with AIDS prevention messages. The two full time staff look to be in their twenties. These truly are youth teaching youth. Michael Kremer wrote that for what it costs to treat one AIDS patient for one year, you could prevent new infections worth 25 to 110 years of life. If just one of their four projects was fully funded, over 1800 years of combined AIDS-free living would result (using Michael Kremer’s upper estimate and the AIDS treatment cost per person). Nancy Waweru manages a similar project to empower girls and educate them about AIDS (www.globalgiving.org/2221). Her workshops emphasize “reproductive health,” meaning they discuss healthy relationships, sex, abortion, menstruation, STDs, and fighting stimga. “What is one organization you really admire for the work they do?” I asked Nancy. She immediately replied “Step by step!” “Why?” “They are new but have already done much. They hosted a very effective workshop on reproductive health at Kaimbo. They also got CocaCola to sponsor it. And they work with ‘deviant girls.’ They are not so easy to work with.” Great Nancy! Thanks to you and Eunice for meeting with me. It was an honor. And know that if our projects recommend another organization, you can bet we’ll invite them to join GlobalGiving in the future. This is how we uncover great new organizations. Whether big or small, new or old, any legitimate, recommended, social media-savvy organization has the same opportunity to attract funding on our site.

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Feb 17, 2009
HIV-FREE GENERATION EVENT

By Nancy Waweru | Project Director

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