On Easter Monday, I attended a grassroots soccer tournament for youths organised by a non-governmental organisation called GrassrootSoccer (GRS) whose objective is to use the game of football to empower young ones with information on HIV/AIDS. Monday’s tournament was held at Kampala ground in the middle of Garden Township in Lusaka where six teams participated in Under 17, Under 14 and Under 12 seven-aside competition.
According to GRS Programme Coordinator James Chisompola, a total of 420 young people participated in the tournament and all underwent HIV testing apart from other youths and members of the community who also volunteered to be tested.
Those, whose results would be positive, would be referred to appropriate clinics for further tests and treatment.
“The idea is to increase awareness on HIV, access to VCT – thus bringing VCT to the doorstep. We are also able to create a platform for young people to come together and play football and this platform gives us an opportunity to tap talent among the young,” Mr Chisompola says, adding that the primary target was to have the 420 participants to go for VCT.
He says GRS engages the coaches of the various soccer teams who are given consent forms for parents to sign so that their children can be tested for HIV. He says the coaches bring back the signed consent papers so that during the tournament the young people are tested without the problem of parental consent. He says the VCT is also open to any other persons that would like to go for VCT.
The Centre for Infectious Disease Control in Zambia (CIDRZ) under the Compact Project, works together with GRS to offer conselling and testing services during such tournaments. CIDRZ answers questions from members of the public on issues related to HIV/AIDS, reproductive health, and any other health issues. They were also at hand to
distribute condoms to members of the public who went through their tents.
Mr Chisompola says the response was overwhelming as many people outside the tournament had come for VCT and that GRS had previously worked with some of the football teams hence it was easier to mobilise them. “Our main focus is to contribute in the fight against HIV/AIDS and to contribute to the reduction of new infections. This tournament,
under the theme: International day of Sport, Development and Peace, is unique in that both males and females are taking part. Each team of seven comprises four boys and three girls.”
GrassrootSoccer is a Lusaka based NGO but also goes to other parts of Zambia especially the rural areas where it works with other partners such as Peace Corps Volunteers to implement the grassroots soccer programmes.
Lizzy Zulu, 17, and Pythias Mwila, 14, both participants to the tournament were happy to be part of the youths that are being empowered with information on HIV and other health issues. Lizzy says “this soccer is helping us a lot because there is VCT involved and then we are also getting fit. As we play, we are physically improving our health.”
Pythias also says “this is important for us youths because it takes us away from vices such as beer drinking, smoking, stealing and drug abuse and any other negative behaviour. We are learning a lot on how to know our HIV status and help us as youths to be healthy both physically and mentally.”
He says some clinic don’t allow young people to go for VCT without their parents but during the soccer tournament they are able to test without their parents as consent papers are signed long before the tournament day.
Pythias and Lizzy appealed to other youths to join football teams saying that way, they will be connected to GRS who will then start involving them in such tournaments. Through GRS, they say they now know about VCT, treatment, the use of condom, adding that knowledge is power.
At least 300 had passed through the CIDRZ tents for VCT. The focus for the Compact project was to reducing new infections of HIV and CIDRZ had partnered with GrassrootSoccer to specifically work with the young ones who get consent from their parents. The HIV results are then given to the club coaches who in turn take them to the parents.
Well, thanks to GrassrootSoccer and CIDRZ for the efforts to try and work with the youths in the fight against HIV/AIDS. And thanks to GrassrootSoccer Country Director Nalucha Nganga-Ziba for driving this important project which brings together young people from different back grounds to share information on HIV.
For comments write to knoxngoma@gmail.com or text/call +260955883143