Using the power of soccer to fight HIV/AIDS

Taking time off the busy, tiresome and gruelling Kenya football premier league to participate in a community scheme event and especially when your team is so much in demand of your services,  and it’s on the verge of being declared the champions is something that many football managers and football clubs wouldn’t let it flow easily with their most dependable players.However,Kenya’s national football team player and Gor Mahia FC, the designated Kenya premier league and back to back 2015 champions Sharava who is enjoying a stellar  campaign for his club was amongst the first individuals to lead  Mukuru residents to know their HIV status during the Kick N Test VCT football tournament held on 11^th 2015 at Kenya Railways Institute. As VAP’s HIV ambassador and football role model, the youth and residents of mukuru slums were inspired by the presence and participation of Haron who made them rally behind him all the way to VCT tent. “Caring about my health and career completes my stardomity”.laments Haron.

Action On The Field

Played on a different venue and a more improved facility, Kenya Railway Institute ground sits between the two larger slum areas of: Mukuru kayaba slum (on the west) and Mukuru kwa njenga slum (on the east). The tournament was brought to the door steps of Mukuru residents for the first time with an aim of reaching out to a complete outfit of new testers and a different age group of both boys and girls. The games which were played under the same rules and regulations of Kick N Test: scoring points on and off the field attracted 16 teams of mixed gender from all the corners of mukuru slum as well as community members who all got an opportunity to get tested and receive other health services and information including voluntary medical male circumcision as a discount despite being entertained with an El-classico football. For the second time VAP’s newly developed testing tools captured all the data of the participants  and community members who got  tested.

New Leaders In The Fight Against Hiv

Everyone who is not yet infected must know what they need to do to avoid infection. We must give young people the knowledge and power to protect themselves. We need to inform, inspire and mobilize them, through an awareness campaign such as the world has never seen -- using radio, television and professional marketing techniques, as well as more conventional tools of education.” Former UN secretary general, Kofi Annan. These words are well reserved under the belt of Skillz Kenya program. After a successful completion of Skillz program at St. Anne’s primary school, participants were awarded with certificates and officially empowered as community change agents who will regularly be engaged in peer education, spreading the knowledge they’ve gained and ultimately amplifying the impact of the program. “I used to fear talking about HIV but now I can freely talk about it with my family and friends.” Remarked 14 years old Jerusa  from St. Anne’s primary school