Using the power of soccer to fight HIV/AIDS

As August school holiday was beckoning, a number of Skillz Kenya program participants in both primary and secondary schools were confirmed as HIV ambassadors and community agents of change. Skillz coaches were busy confirming participants of both Skillz Mtaani (primary schools) and Skillz Mabeste (secondary schools) with certificates that would officially enable graduates to share HIV information with their peers, families and the entire community all under one word ‘Prevention’. “I have been informed about HIV am ready to share information with my friends to prevent it.” Said 14 years old Rafael from Outering primary school.

 Employment + Entrepreneurship

With majority of ‘Employment+ Entrepreneurship’ project participants being girls and young women, VAP had to heed to the call of including boys into the program. This has been as a result of popular demand and feedbacks collected from the community and the program boys participants. Skillz Kenya that addresses HIV awareness, and ‘Heshima’ program that addresses positive masculinity amongst boys and men through the platform of football, are two key programs that are used as springboards to recruiting boys into Economic + Entrepreneurship’ project. Amongst the courses taken by boys include: Catering, pastry, cookery, electronics, tailoring etc.

After  running a couple of hiv-self testing research studies  integrated with football tournaments in partnership with Medical University of South Carolina in the slums of Nairobi, the manuscript submitted for publication was approved by the journal of HIV/AIDS &Social services courtesy of Taylor & Francis authors: VAP is scaling up its HIV testing strategies by making door-to-door distribution of oral self-testing kits to its target groups who fear stigmatization and discrimination by visiting conventional testing sites. The kits are also distributed at the Kick N Test VCT tournaments as an alternative to visiting VCT tents. Here is the link for the publication

https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/UKNrWdcTVJ7ngVVqCumj/full?target=10.1080/15381501.2019.1620663

                                         Skillz Mabeste

Kiamberene primary school is one of the primary schools that actively participate in the Skillz Mabeste HIV prevention program. Located in the middle of mathare slums, the school has a total of 543 children and has been on Skillz Mabeste program since the start of the year. Skillz Mabeste is a football based  fun activity that’s coiled up with HIV awareness messages targeting primary school children aged 12-14 years both boys and girls. “Being in an area that is surrounded by a myriad of economic and social challenges, including having students who have lost one or both parents to HIV, Skillz Mabeste program has contributed heavily and positively in the lives of these youth who have managed to bounce back and stay resilient on issues regarding HIV.” Mr John headmaster of Kiamberene.

                                           Scaling Up HIV Testing

As a way of scaling up HIV testing, Skillz coaches have been making door to door visits distributing and providing rightful information on HIV oral self-testing kits targeting youth in various slums of Nairobi. The distribution exercise is targeting youth both girls and boys who fear stigmatization and discrimination by visiting conventional sites for HIV testing. Despite the door to door visits, kits will be available at VAP’s Kick ‘N’ Test VCT football tournaments and leagues.” Now that I know about this alternative of HIV testing, I will do it by myself at my own private place.” Said 19 years old Mweni.