Using the power of soccer to fight HIV/AIDS

One of the innovative ways that may help break down barriers to testing is the approval of HIV self-testing kits, recently approved by theWHO and in Kenya through the ministry of health. As an organization with a track record of arming itself in the fight against HIV by using the power and the popularity of the game of football ,VAP in partnership with Medical University of South Carolina has been in the forefront of utilizing the oral-self testing innovation by administering a series of pilot research on football and oral-self testing during Kick ‘N’Test VCT football tournaments targeting participants over 14 years and community members at large. This research study has received a funding boost from Medical University of South Carolina through the Centre for Global Health (CGH), which will go towards supporting various pilot studies and the Kick N Test VCT football tournaments to be conducted in different communities around Nairobi. This study aims to: 1) assess HIV testing behavior at the Kick N’ Test VCT community football tournaments: 2) assess perspectives of the tournament attendees on HIV testing, self-testing for HIV, and HIV risk behaviors: 3) assess the number of HIV positive individuals attending the football tournaments, and estimate the proportion who would be interested in a group approach to improving treatment access and adherence: 4) identify cultural and religious barriers to practicing safe sex behaviors. The results of this study are expected to inform future research into improving access to care for HIV positive individuals and the feasibility and acceptability of HIV self-testing among HIV negative individuals, and serve as evidence of the effectiveness of VAP program in improving HIV testing rates as well as identifying specific needs in the population.