Grassroot Soccer
This project's parent organization is Grassroot Soccer Inc
It operates in South Africa
It uses Football (Soccer)
Shortlisted for the Sport for Health Award
More about Grassroot Soccer
GRS seeks to reduce new HIV infections among youth in sub-Saharan Africa by using curricula that provide youth with the self-efficacy and knowledge needed to protect themselves and others from HIV. GRS curricula uses soccer language and activities to address key drivers of the epidemic including multiple partnerships, inter-generational and transactional sex, alcohol abuse, and gender-based violence. The power of soccer to communicate, to access youth, and to engage professional soccer players as role models in the fight against HIV is now proven, tested and refined.
Our strategy for reaching out to communities is based on formal (school extra-curricular activity) and informal congregations around the soccer game (streetfootball, soccer leagues, holiday programmes). Our programmes also include Skillz Tournaments in which young people and community members play or watch soccer and are offered diagnostic health services through our partners including HIV counseling and testing (HCT) and TB screening on site.
GRS’ unique ability to use football as a tool to mobilize a wide range of partners offering complimentary services, and to attract people of all ages to access these services has been an important addition to the health promotion and education programmes in the communities where we work