Coach Big Eyes Writes!

My name is Elijah Kolisang from Kimberley. In my community I am known as Kutlwanong – Club 2000 aka Jeppes Town.

I joined Grassroot Soccer in December 2007 because I was young and aware of challenges that young people are faced with daily like teenage pregnancy, drugs, alcohol, sex at an early age, older partners, sex for stuff etc. GRS is one of those unique NGOs because we use soccer in the fight against HIV. Stigma and discrimination causes people living with HIV to feel alone and helpless, and as an advocate speaking for those who can't speak for themselves I teach people that we need to support people living with HIV, and that they are not bad people. The most significant stories that participants share with coaches, and coaches also do the same, builds that personal connection with participants. Even the Bulawayo study shows that children are less likely to engage in unsafe sexual behavior not because they use information that they have gained, but because they have built personal connections with an adult.

Grassroot Soccer is a community based NGO that mobilizes community members, schools, teams, and safe homes so we can fight HIV by minimizing the spread of HIV in South Africa. To me being part of the GRS Kimberly team makes me proud to see the work done by coaches. What I enjoy the most is to deliver practices in the community. GRS takes us as coaches very seriously because jobs done by coaches are vitally essential. Kids love us, they get excited to see our yellow t-­‐shirts. I also like to see them having fun and learning, and I enjoy using the SKILLZ guide to run activities. I want to thank the community of Galeshewe, it really shows that an HIV free generation is possible because HIV affects us all, so it's our responsibility to take care of ourselves and the community. Divided we fall together we can achieve more. 

A Note from a Danielskuil Graduate

First of all I will like to say greetings to you all by the way.

My name is Portia.
My surname is Bantsha. I am in grade 7.
I am 13 years old.

When I grow up I want to become a police to stop rapists who ruin teenagers lives. I like Skillz I will never forget Skillz because it taught me things I did not know about life so now I know almost everything about life because of Skillz. I love all my coaches especially when they do an energizer.

I want to thank GRS managers, leaders for sending Skillz coaches to teach us many things in life they show us love they have for us. We appreciate that. My favorite practice is My Supporters. I learned that I must always be supportive to people with HIV/AIDS and never say that someone has HIV when I see her/him thin, skinny many pimples in face. I want to give you this message that the decisions you make today will affect the life that you will live tomorrow so make a wise decision and make it with gratitude by abstaining and protecting yourself from HIV.

Thank you !!!

P. Bantsha 

More HCT Success!

One of the most important programs Grassroot Soccer runs is our HCT Tournament.  An HIV Counseling and Testing tournament unites all aspects of our organization into one crazy day of GRS fun.  September 29th marks another one of these tournaments.  This is a day where we welcome members of the Kimberley community to participate in soccer and GRS activities, watch from the sidelines, and test for HIV to accomplish the ever-important feat of knowing your status.

Thanks New Start!

For this particular HCT we held both a boys and girls tournament where 10 boys teams fought it out, while only 2 girls teams played for victory.  For our next HCT we hope to have more girls teams, come on ladies!  While some teams played, and the Kim Staff ran around preparing lunch, sorting out the schedule, and taking care of logistics, Skillz Coaches ushered their teams to the HIV testing area.  New Start Bloemfontein, our faithful testing partner, set up tents where they would start and finish the HIV testing and counseling process.  By the end of the day they tested 204 members of the Kim community, including soccer players, GRS coaches, GRS staff and interns, and any one else who was around and felt it was time to "Know the Game"- to know their status.

     Here's a clip of two of the boys teams!

                      And here are the 2 girls teams!     


The Kimberley Stars ended up taking the championship for the boys side, and FNB won their match for the girls.  Along with other prizes like cleats and gear, the champions now have their team's name engraved on this beautiful trophy (seen below), courtesy of Trophy & Gift Centre in Kimberley.  Thanks to the guys at this shop, New Start, the LFA (coaches association) for organizing teams, and Eskort for donating food, the GRS KimTeam was able to hold another successful HCT Tournament.

Kimberley Stars - Champions! (With GRS Kim site coordinator, Thuso Jones)

With every program, every intervention, every activity, and every individual tested for HIV, Grassroot Soccer is one step closer to achieving our goal of an HIV free generation.  Let's keep up the good work as we move into another month of interventions, graduations, and all the behind-the-scenes labor that goes into this great GRS site every day. Kimba love all the way.

Skillz Holiday Camps

To finish off the crazy month of September, GRS Kim held two simultaneous Skillz Holiday camps in Roodepan.  Skillz Holiday is one of the very special programs we run where our coaches work with the kids for an entire week, complete all the practices, and graduate the learners on the last day.  This method creates an intimate environment that builds strong relationships between coach and learner in a short amount of time.  

"Sky Ball" with Coach Fire at Roodepan Primary

After weeks of preparation by our staff and our two camp directors - shout out to Coach Neo and Coach Lorato! - which involved recruiting schools and children, prepping materials, securing food, and organizing coaches, the interventions took off in lightning fashion.  Our Generation Skillz intervention was implemented at Pescodia Secondary School and Skillz 1.2 spent the week at Roodepan Primary.  Running two different programs stretched our team mentally and physically but we pulled together for a triumphant week.  

The picture below shows two learners participating in one of our great activities that utilizes soccer to educate the kids about risky behaviors.  In "Breakaway from HIV" two kids line up behind two cones, one placed ahead of the other.  During the first round the striker, who is in front, does not have a ball, which represents abstinence.  The coach blows the whistle once, releasing the striker, then twice, releasing the defender, or HIV.  The second round gives the striker one ball, or one mutually faithful partner, and the third round sees the striker with two balls, or multiple sexual partners.  By the third round it is very difficult for the striker to reach his goal without getting tagged by the defender, illustrating how difficult it is to avoid HIV when having sex with more than one partner.  

Kids at Pescodia during "Breakaway from HIV"

The video below shows one of the groups at Pescodia Secondary doing the activity, "HIV Limbo".  In this exercise the kids are told that the string represents HIV and if you cannot limbo under it then you are pretend infected with the virus.  For the first round they pretend they are abstaining from sex and the string is relatively easy to limbo under.  The second round they pretend they have a sexual partner that is their same age and the string is lowered slightly.  The third round the string represents a partner that is 5 years older, and the fourth round a partner that is ten years older.  The string is lowered each round so it becomes harder and harder to avoid hitting the string, and consequently harder and harder to avoid being infected with (pretend) HIV.  The key message of this practice is explained following the activity, and makes it clear to the learners that abstaining is the safest way to avoid HIV, though if you chose to have sex, it is less dangerous to have a partner that is your same age rather than an older partner.  Great activity and the kids clearly love it!

Our final numbers for the week were 68 graduates from Roodepan and 90 from Pescodia.  Big Kilos go to our camp directors, coaches, and staff for overcoming obstacles, staying positive and energetic, and rising to the challenge to come out on top.  Many snaps for GRS Kim!

More to come about the HCT we held this past Saturday, so much ayobaness in Kimbaaaa.

It's All About the Skillz Coaches

The past two weeks have been packed with full day sessions at GRS Kimba.  After selecting our new coaches we welcomed two very special visitors from Cape Town who led our ToC (Training of Coaches).  Jamison (Jmo) and Derek (Mr. D) worked with our staff in Kim and held a week-long training for the new guys and gals.  The fresh batch consists of 17 coaches from Kimberley and 2 from Danielskuil that were trained in the program Skillz 1.2, a pilot curriculum based on our bread and butter Skillz 1.1.

New coaches, staff, and interns on the last day

The week was a sight to see as the Curriculum team worked their magic on an eager group of Kim-Folk.  There was loads of dancing, singing, learning, teaching, more singing, eating braai, more teaching, and teaching-back.  The days were long but with the help of each and every person at GRS Kim we made it a huge success.  Big ups to our guests, Mr. D and Jmo, for keeping the lessons fresh, exciting, and truly enlightening for us all.  Reflecting on the week has been satisfying as the whole team is excited about the potential this new group brings to the table. Snaps!



The video below shows one of our new coaches, Samkelo, teaching-back the activity "Breakaway from HIV". Well done SK!

Tough team challenge, took a while but they finally got it!

Then new blood mixed with old for the first time last week as we had yet another visitor from Cape Town.  Danika, a social worker brought on by GRS to lead coaches in wellness development sessions, graced us with her presence for the week.  She took the coaches through team-building activities for two full days as well as one full day of child protection and disclosure work with the entire Kim staff.  We learned important lessons on how to handle a child that approaches you with a serious problem and what appropriate and necessary steps we must take to address the issue.  The team, staff and coaches alike, grew as a whole as we conquered various frustrations and soared on clouds of fun and success.

The KimTeam would like to give a huge KIIIIILLLLOOOOOOOO to our Capetonian friends for all their hard work and for taking the time to visit and help improve our wonderful site here in the great city of Kimberley.

BIG BIG things coming up next week with Skillz Holiday running Monday through Friday and another HCT on Saturday the 29th.  Check back soon to find out more and follow our twitter (@GRSKimberley) to get more frequent updates about the amazing things happening in Kim!

Coach Spotlight #4 - Neo Molale

***In honor of the new blog, we are kicking off the first week of September with a spotlight on our coaches that have done exemplary work in August. Without further ado, spotlight #4 below***

Comments from coaches and staff about Neo include-

• "always there"
• "high energy"
• "good teammate"

*****Neo has been awarded this spotlight for excellent work during August.*****

Yebo Neo!

Coach Spotlight #3 - Lorato "Lo Lo" Louw

***In honor of the new blog, we are kicking off the first week of September with a spotlight on our coaches that have done exemplary work in August. Without further ado, spotlight #3 below***

Lo going to meet her team at an HIV Counseling & Testing Soccer Tournament at Sweepers Ground.

Comments from coaches and staff about Lorato include-

• "hard worker"
• "consistent"
• "works well with other coaches"

*****Lorato has been awarded this spotlight for excellent work during August.*****

Keep it going LO!