Using the power of soccer to fight HIV/AIDS

 Pomp and Colour For The Unsung Heroes of 2017

For the second year in a row, over 200 grassroot football community coaches,teachers and volunteers from across Nairobi communities were assembled together under the banner of Recognizing,Acknowledging and Rewarding outstanding performances done by these individuals in their respective youth teams and schools.Graced by officials from Football Kenya Federation Nairobi branch,the awards were given based on different youth categories with the  key consideration being the development of youth football and integration of lifeskills, teach back sessions of  VAP programs by the coaches and teachers.The event also marked the crowning  of Skillz Mtaani under 18 football league that had been running for some months ago with  the aim of promoting VMMC and distribution of condoms.

Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision Champions

Barixton football club emerged the winners of  2017 Skillz Mtaani VMMC promotional football league boys category.Despite their clinical football performance on the pitch,the team members were at the forefront of promoting Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision to their respective communities, peers  and with most of its members being  reffered to Edarp clinic for the circumcision services.Each team member received medals for their on and off the pitch performance with their coach receiving an award for making most VMMC referrals from his team and from the community.

Coach of The Year Condom Category

Bragging with two titles:Coach and Mr. Condom is what the 23 year old  Mwetu grassroot community football coach of Santana Junior football club is proud off.Despite his team not advancing in the quarter stages of the Skillz Mtaani VMMC promotional football league,he championed his team to distributing most condoms during the league as well as in the communities.In the spirit of Recognizing,Acknowledging and Rewarding, coach Mwetu received a tracksuit and a cap with ‘Football for Hope’ label for his outstanding performance.

Champions Girls Category

Nairobi county team emerged the winners of Skillz Mtaani football league 2017 girls category.They were crowned the winners after seeing off Majengo starlets by a solitary goal to nil.The integration of  adolescent girl teams was very vital as girls and young women play a major role towards promoting voluntary medical male circumcision with their male partners.Similarly,their coach was crowned female coach of the year for her outstanding performance of leading and working hand in hand with VAP coaches towards creating family planning awareness messages with her team and the young women in her community.Majority of this team have been recruited into VAP’s vocational training courses set for next year.

VAP At MUSC

Following a partnership with Medical University of South Carolina (USA) that resulted into a research study that integrated football and HIV Oral self-testing as one of the ways of scaling up HIV testing within VAP’s HIV programs, VAP was invited at the MUSC to talk more about the findings of the research study and its HIV programs in general. Represented by Enouce from VAP, the presentations and discussions involved various professors, HIV researchers and HIV interest groups at MUSC Health department led by Dr. Korte from epidemiology department and the lead principle investigator. The group weighed on ways and plans of seeking more support in future that will scale up the study to reach out to a wider community in the slums of Nairobi and help out in achieving UNAIDS 90-90-90 target.

Happy Holidays

As the curtains for 2017 are rolling down, VAP fraternity would like to express its utmost ‘Thank You’ note to various individuals including: coaches, teachers, volunteers, well-wishers and staff who have given their unwavering support towards achieving what we had planned for the year 2017.We would as well like to stretch out our deepest ‘Thanks’ to various supporters, partners, and donors who have devoted their time and resources to help us make it possible. The year 2017 has had its share of challenges and successes but together we have managed to overcome. As we warm-up again for the year 2018,we would like to wish everyone happy holidays and a prosperous 2018.