Using Football to raise awareness in HIV/AIDS and drug Abuse in kakamega

More about Using Football to raise awareness in HIV/AIDS and drug Abuse in kakamega

Football provides an opportunity to raise awareness among the youths and the community at large. District AIDS Control Officers lead discussions about HIV/AIDS. During tournaments, banners, the opening/concluding remarks and half-time shows are also used to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS among the public. Sports can also improve the life skills of youths. It gives them a chance to be leaders, to improve their confidence and to increase their self-awareness. It strengthens their capacities in terms of decision-making, critical thinking, and negotiating their way out of difficult situations.

Moreover, by providing them with space to bond with their youth peers, it helps them develop teamwork skills, thereby coping better with their own emotions and resisting pressure from men. Sport also has additional benefits . From the perspective of improving health, sport and physical activity provide young people with physical, social, and mental benefits, thereby improving productivity and psycho-social well-being. Sport provides a safe space for children and adolescents, and promotes healthy alternatives to drug, tobacco, and alcohol.

Sport is a “school for life” and teaches children and youth such life lessons as the value of fair play, cooperation, teamwork, respect for self and others, and positive competition. Participation in school sport programs has been linked to higher percentages of children staying in school, and to increased learning retention rates. For out-of-school youth, whose copious amounts of free time tend to leave more vulnerable to high-risk activities, sport is a healthy diversion. Thus, sport is both a means to achieve many of the ministry of education core objectives, as well as an end in itself in ensuring every child’s right to play. And in a context where girls and women face heavy burdens in terms of household chores, sport also provides them with a rare opportunity to have fun.

Success Achieved So far a) The quality of sport activities being conducted in the project target areas has improved through the community leaders including local peer educators. b) The Life skills on HIV/AIDS and Civic Education among the youths and children of the Project areas have improved hence raised awareness on HIV/AIDS. c) Community involvement and support to children's sport and recreation in communities has improved due to awareness events by the media.