Tackle Africa Celebrates 10,000 HIV Tests Through Football Programme

December 13, 2019

This month, 2017 Beyond Sport Global Award Shortlisted organization, Tackle Africa, reached the milestone of having conducted 10,000 HIV tests across all their football programmes. They were Official Shortlisters in the Sport for Health and Well-being category.

Young people and their communities have been able to access this crucial service voluntarily at Tackle Africa football sessions and tournaments 10,000 times since 2015.

Tackle Africa uses the power and popularity of football to deliver HIV and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights information and services to young people on football pitches across the continent.

The global health non-profit trains African football coaches, games teachers and community leaders to use fun, interactive football drills with inbuilt health messaging with young people in their football clubs and communities. As of 2019, we have trained coaches in eleven African countries and we continue to expand and train more each year.

When the organization started in 2002, their programmes focussed on HIV education, but now their coaches are trained to deliver information and services on a whole range of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights issues to help end the HIV epidemic, including contraception, family planning, Gender-Based Violence (GBV), Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), Child Marriage and girls’ empowerment. 

“Building resilience to HIV and keeping young people safe from other sexual health issues requires an holistic approach that helps young people overcome challenges in their communities,” Tackle Africa said in a statement.

Tackle Africa were Official Beyond Sport Global Awards Shortlisters in the Sport for Health and Well-being category. Learn more about the Awards here.