This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/nov/30/tackle-africa-aids-sex-education-soccer

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Football coaches determined to improve young Africans' sex education Football coaches determined to improve young Africans' sex education
(about 9 hours later)
Football may be criticised for a lot of things but there are times when it can be an extraordinary tool in fighting everything from war to disease. In a week where the sport has been once again hit by match-fixing allegations it is worth looking to Africa to see how it can be used as an educational tool to save lives.Football may be criticised for a lot of things but there are times when it can be an extraordinary tool in fighting everything from war to disease. In a week where the sport has been once again hit by match-fixing allegations it is worth looking to Africa to see how it can be used as an educational tool to save lives.
It is World Aids Day and the Fifa-backed project TackleAfrica is reaching out to young children on the continent to teach them about HIV and sexual health education. The project is fulfilling a crucial and life-saving role, considering that many of these youngsters do not attend school and therefore have no sexual health education whatsoever.It is World Aids Day and the Fifa-backed project TackleAfrica is reaching out to young children on the continent to teach them about HIV and sexual health education. The project is fulfilling a crucial and life-saving role, considering that many of these youngsters do not attend school and therefore have no sexual health education whatsoever.
Laura Brooks has been in Kenya for the last three months, working as a TackleAfrica coaching development officer. "The TackleAfrica model is to train local football coaches with high quality coaching skills so they can deliver our drills, and then they go out into their communities and coach. I've been delivering lots of coaching courses to local coaches, all over Kenya, from the coast through Nairobi and all the way to Western near the Ugandan border. Wherever there is a need for our work, and we can secure funding, I'll go and train coaches. I then go with them into their communities and watch them deliver our drills and give them as much support as possible.Laura Brooks has been in Kenya for the last three months, working as a TackleAfrica coaching development officer. "The TackleAfrica model is to train local football coaches with high quality coaching skills so they can deliver our drills, and then they go out into their communities and coach. I've been delivering lots of coaching courses to local coaches, all over Kenya, from the coast through Nairobi and all the way to Western near the Ugandan border. Wherever there is a need for our work, and we can secure funding, I'll go and train coaches. I then go with them into their communities and watch them deliver our drills and give them as much support as possible.
"The most rewarding moments come when you hear of actual behaviour change, a young player telling you they now have the confidence to get an HIV test, or a female coach saying they finally asked their boyfriend to use a condom for the first time. Like so many people I love football, so coaching and playing is obviously a great way to spend my days, but those moments are when you realise you may just have made a difference.""The most rewarding moments come when you hear of actual behaviour change, a young player telling you they now have the confidence to get an HIV test, or a female coach saying they finally asked their boyfriend to use a condom for the first time. Like so many people I love football, so coaching and playing is obviously a great way to spend my days, but those moments are when you realise you may just have made a difference."
TackleAfrica have developed a series of coaching exercises to demonstrate the dangers of HIV. For example, one drill gives each player a piece of paper which is placed in their sock, and they are then told to dribble against each other. At the end of the drill the pieces of paper are removed, and it is revealed that one – but only one – of them has "HIV" written on it, and that everyone else has 'risked infection' by playing against them, thus demonstrating how the virus can be transmitted. The drill is arranged so that every player faces the HIV positive player directly or another player who has, showing that risky sexual behaviour can impact a whole community from one person with the virus.TackleAfrica have developed a series of coaching exercises to demonstrate the dangers of HIV. For example, one drill gives each player a piece of paper which is placed in their sock, and they are then told to dribble against each other. At the end of the drill the pieces of paper are removed, and it is revealed that one – but only one – of them has "HIV" written on it, and that everyone else has 'risked infection' by playing against them, thus demonstrating how the virus can be transmitted. The drill is arranged so that every player faces the HIV positive player directly or another player who has, showing that risky sexual behaviour can impact a whole community from one person with the virus.
Another has players shooting at 10 goalkeepers, who are removed one-by-one as the drill progresses. The goal represents a body, while the keepers are white blood cells. The removal of the keepers represents how HIV breaks down the human body's natural defence systems.Another has players shooting at 10 goalkeepers, who are removed one-by-one as the drill progresses. The goal represents a body, while the keepers are white blood cells. The removal of the keepers represents how HIV breaks down the human body's natural defence systems.
TackleAfrica work on the old "Teach a man to fish …" principle, as their model is based on passing on the drills and techniques to local coaches, so that they can educate their own communities themselves. This also aims to ensure the message being put across is more deeply embedded – the ideas are much more likely to take hold if they are basically part of the community, rather than simply taught by an itinerant coach. TackleAfrica work on the old "Teach a man to fish …" principle, as their model is based on passing on the drills and techniques to local coaches, so that they can educate their own communities themselves. This also aims to ensure the message being put across is more deeply embedded – the ideas are much more likely to take hold if they are part of the community, rather than simply taught by an itinerant coach.
The work they do not only helps with HIV education, but it inspires people worldwide. Hugh Thompson, for example, is cycling from London to Rio in time for the World Cup next summer, in order to raise money for TackleAfrica. "In 2009 I went to Uganda as a volunteer for three weeks to deliver HIV education through football for TackleAfrica," he says. "I was blown away by the impact the charity was making in the rural areas of Uganda but also how much it was required."The work they do not only helps with HIV education, but it inspires people worldwide. Hugh Thompson, for example, is cycling from London to Rio in time for the World Cup next summer, in order to raise money for TackleAfrica. "In 2009 I went to Uganda as a volunteer for three weeks to deliver HIV education through football for TackleAfrica," he says. "I was blown away by the impact the charity was making in the rural areas of Uganda but also how much it was required."
Currently somewhere in Malaysia, Thompson has already passed through 16 countries, and has coached in Kampala, Dar Es Salaam and Hungary, visited projects in India, Uganda and Kenya, been knocked off his bike in Bangalore and Bangkok and had his nether regions grabbed in Thailand. It's been quite a journey so far, and he still has eight months and a couple of continents to go.Currently somewhere in Malaysia, Thompson has already passed through 16 countries, and has coached in Kampala, Dar Es Salaam and Hungary, visited projects in India, Uganda and Kenya, been knocked off his bike in Bangalore and Bangkok and had his nether regions grabbed in Thailand. It's been quite a journey so far, and he still has eight months and a couple of continents to go.
And for anyone that might doubt how effective using football to spread this message is, it's worth noting that Brooks was in Kenya at the time of the shootings in Nairobi, when over 60 people were killed and others held hostage, and work continued. "The way everyone united, donating blood, giving support and so on, was overwhelming and beautiful to witness," she says. "As for my work, I carried on delivering training throughout that whole period. It will take a lot more than that to stop Kenyans playing football."And for anyone that might doubt how effective using football to spread this message is, it's worth noting that Brooks was in Kenya at the time of the shootings in Nairobi, when over 60 people were killed and others held hostage, and work continued. "The way everyone united, donating blood, giving support and so on, was overwhelming and beautiful to witness," she says. "As for my work, I carried on delivering training throughout that whole period. It will take a lot more than that to stop Kenyans playing football."
• Visit Hugh Thompson's Ride2Rio website here• Visit Hugh Thompson's Ride2Rio website here
Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.