A home to many

Port Elizabeth is a city of contrasting fortunes like all cities I'd say. To our left is downtown PE, the commercial center of a city which boasts South African headquarters for companies like General Motors, Volkswagen, Ford, Continental Tyres among others. The North End of the city boasts a major attraction in the Nelson Mandela Bay stadium which played host to some key World Cup games earlier this year including the Dutch victory over Brazil in the quarter finals.

In our apartment in the South End of PE we are very close to the harbor and board walk areas. We get a decent view of the majestic Indian ocean. The road along the shore is lined with cafes that double as restaurants and of course one of PE's main attractions, the Boardwalk and casino entertainment area. This is what I would describe as a touristy area, with a casino, bars, more cafes, amusement park type games for kids, curio stores, a cinema and restaurants. This weekend I got a sampling of this area and I couldn't help but think of the contrast of this area with the sprawling townships that surround the commercial side of the city.

The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan area is said to have over million people. Many (33%) are employed in manufacturing - which makes sense with the heavy motoring influence on the area. Most of Grassroot Soccer's work is in the townships on the outskirts of the city. Programs are targeted at youths who may be in danger of contracting the HIV virus through a lack of proper information, peer pressure, or many other reasons that do not always reflect on the individuals desire to keep safe and healthy.

The organization was able to draw a lot of attention to many of these problems through an excellent publicity and activity push during the FIFA World Cup. Sending thousands of kids to games and bringing sporting heroes like Pato and Kobe Bryant to the townships endeared GRS to the kids and community. On the other hand putting faces and stories out to the watching global public about the important work being done in HIV/AIDS prevention was also crucial in garnering support from around the world at a time when virtually all eyes were on South Africa was vital in Grassroot Soccer's future sustainability.

I have been inspired by the dedication and passion of the GRS team. By no means have I met everyone, but I can see it in the people I have met, the publications I read, the people I have been in correspondence with and the joy that surrounds our PE office. It is no secret that the momentum from the World Cup needs to continue, because the fight against the epidemic is a real one and we cannot pull any punches!

Work starts tomorrow, more updates to follow!