What is Grasssroot Soccer (GRS)?

Such a fun week!

I had the opportunity to spend four days in Addis, where I participated in a Grassroot Soccer Training called Peace Corps Skillz.  Fifteen Peace Corps volunteers from throughout the country met in Addis, and each brought one counterpart (a motivated person from their respective towns) to the training.  Together, this group of 30 people spent four days together learning about GRS and at the end of the training we all graduated as “Peace Corps SKILLZ Coaches”.  This means we are now equipped with the knowledge and skills to be able to carryout the GRS program in our own towns.

With a group of fellow volunteers!

One of our great coaches!

To set the stage, let me provide some background information about HIV/AIDS.  As of 2012, 34 million people were affected worldwide, and of that, 23.5 million were in Sub-Saharan Africa.  Looking specifically at Ethiopia, the HIV prevalence is 1.3% (.9% for males and 1.8% for females.  There are 1 million AIDS orphans in Ethiopia (note: AIDS orphan is defined as one parent passing away due to AIDS).

While the numbers can be shocking and overwhelming, some statistics are promising and show progress.  The number of people tested for HIV annually has increased from 40,000 in 2005 to 10 million by 2011.  In addition, the proportion of women aged 15-49 who received an HIV test in the last 12 months and who know the results has increased from just 1.9% in 2005 to 20% in 2011, and for men the increase was from 2.3% to 20.7%. 

Grassroot Soccer is helping to fight HIV/AIDS by providing knowledge and skills to youth ages 12-19 through familiar and fun games such as soccer, in a safe space with trained coaches.  GRS partners with many organizations, one of which is the Peace Corps.  It teaches about key behaviors that are driving the spread of HIV in Africa, which include unprotected sex, multiple sexual patners, older sexual partners, and gender-based violence.  GRS, along with its partners have provided education and prevention related to HIV and life skills to more than 700,000 youth since 2002, in 57 countries. 

Practicing one of the GRS activities with some volunteers!

PEACE

I am very excited to do this program at the secondary school in Mezezo, alongside Aman, my counterpart and coworker at the Health Center.  One GRS training/curriculum consists of 11, 60-minute lessons, and at the end there is a graduation where family and friends can come, and each student is praised and receives a certificate for completing the program.

Officially graduated as Skillz Coaches!

I had an incredible time at the GRS training in Addis, and now in Mezezo I have all of the materials I need; a Skillz Team t-shirt, 2 tennis balls, 12 cones, and 2 indestructible soccer balls (literally indestructible). The first round of students will graduate next week from the program, and we are all having a great time together, meeting each morning at the school for 2 hours!  Stay tuned for GRS updates from Mezezo! 

With Aman, my great counterpart from Mezezo!