Generation Skillz
This project's parent organization is Grassroot Soccer
It operates in South Africa
It uses Football (Soccer)
Entered the Best New Project
More about Generation Skillz
Since 2002, Grassroot Soccer (GRS) has been winning the fight against HIV by educating young Africans. Ten evaluations demonstrate the model’s effectiveness. GRS has shown that professional soccer players can be powerful role models, able to influence behavioral and social norms. Sport has been the heart of the (GRS) program from the beginning when Methembe Ndlovu, Captain of the Zimbabwe National Team; Ethan Zohn, professional soccer player and survivor winner; Kirk Friedrich, professional soccer; and Tommy Clark, pediatrician, launched the non-profit in Zimbabwe. Community engagement, proactive research and an online M&E database have allowed GRS to improve the effectiveness of its evidence-based curriculum.
The latest data shows that young women are most at risk of contracting HIV – every day, 6,000 young people (15 - 24) become infected with HIV; two-thirds of them are girls. GRS is now launching Generations Skillz. The core lesson in this curriculum is, RED CARD. GRS Coaches use the universally recognized Red Card as a symbol, reminder and tool to educate youth and de-normalize risky behavior. Generation Skillz will empower young women though soccer by confronting the four inter-related factors fueling the explosion of this deadly epidemic: Intergenerational/Transactional Sex, Multiple Sexual Partners, Alcohol abuse, Gender-based violence.