Bridging the Gap
This project's parent organization is Grassroot Soccer
It operates in Zambia
It uses Football (Soccer)
Entered the Sport for Health Award
More about Bridging the Gap
Bridging the Gap uses the power of football to address stigma and increase uptake of youth-friendly HIV services in Zambia. Young people aged 15-24 represent over half of all new infections, and under-resourced public health systems tend to not cater to particular needs of these young people. Lacking educational curricula they can relate to and services they feel comfortable with, young people’s interest in and knowledge about HIV/AIDS remains low. This results in low testing, high loss-to-follow-up, and increased likelihood of youth perpetuating these challenges.
Grassroot Soccer uses football-based games, activities, and language taught by community role models, Caring Coaches, to increase youth HIV counseling & testing rates (via uptake at GRS events), ensure a quality and rigorous referral mechanism for all those testing HIV positive, and provide compelling, stigma-free treatment support to youth living with HIV.