June HCT

New Start HIV Counselors and Testers

On Saturday, June 29^th, GRS Kimberley ran an HIV Counseling & Testing Tournament (HCT) in the Colville community.

This was to be a smaller HCT than those we have run in the past. Our goal for this tournament was to target first-time testers rather than continuing to test participants who have played in previous HCTs. With the help of our ever-supportive partner, the LFA, we set our sights on Colville and recruited 8 teams from the area.

The day of the event ran more smoothly than any HCT we have held in Kim. Thanks to another strong partnership with The Sandwich Shop, lunch was flawless, and everybody ate his or her fill. The teams quickly transitioned on and off the field, ushered by their coaches, both from the LFA and Grassroot Soccer. Our Skillz coaches held discussions with their teams about testing for HIV, the challenges and stigma surrounding testing, and the importance of knowing your status.

The day saw an exciting amount of talent from the young men of Colville with Zone 5 and Zone 1 surviving to battle it out in the final. After a long day of football, the teams did not disappoint. Fighting to the finish, Zone 5 came out with the 3-1 win. Congratulations Zone 5! KILO!

Zone 5, June HCT Champs with their GRS Coaches

Another important number to report, as always, is the number of participants and community members who tested for HIV. New Start Bloemfontein, never ceasing to help in our shared cause, arrived ready and able to test upwards of 200 people. Unfortunately, since this was a smaller tournament, our numbers were not quite as high as we hoped and we only tested 120. However, much like our attitude towards our lower numbers for the Holiday camps, this 120 means more than past, higher numbers. The majority of these 120 people who braved the stigma and tested their blood for HIV, were doing so for the very first time. This is quality over quantity, and this is what we, as an organization and a community, need more of!

Our Skillz Coaches deserve a major TLC (Tell it, Label it, Celebrate it) for their hard work, their positive influence, for continuing to be game-changers in their community, and for doing their ayoba job to get players and Colville residents to the tents! SNAPS!