Week one of Skillz Street came and went like a whirlwind, over one hundred girls attended on each of the 3 days and they really seemed to enjoy themselves which was great to see. Being in such a central location has made our tournament an attraction in the Red location area. The field is gated but many community members have stopped by to have a look at events on the front lawn of the Red Location museum.
A phenomenon that we predicted before the start of this intervention was a number of boys being drawn to the field, wanting to somehow get involved in the soccer. It is simply not common to see a group of 100 girls playing football in the township, and the boys are frankly used to having all the action when it comes to football. Droves of boys have sort of stood on the sidelines each day (we meet on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays), quizzically looking at the girls participating in Skillz activities and Fair Play football. I feel a bit bad that we cannot currently engage them, but the importance of including girls is well documented and the need to provide a safe space for the girls is great.
Several ladies have joined in the intervention, having seen the activities or heard about it from friends. The youngest girls participating are 10 and the oldest 15. Week 2 starts today, and I hope that the high energy and enthusiasm will continue. Most importantly I hope the goals of the intervention are met: in addition to providing a recreational for girls the program aims to educate them about the risks of contracting HIV; the girls get to identify their personal strengths; set goals for themselves; note the dangerous areas in their neighborhoods and become more aware of the resources and opportunities available to them in their community.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Skillz Street: Day 1
I was initially hoping to have a more creative blog title this time around. You know something to do with 111 girls, some stray dogs etc... all in an attempt to summarize what was a whirlwind Day 1 of our Skillz Street intervention at the Red Location museum (details at the end of the blog*). I went for the straightforward one instead and as I get ready for bed I figured it was only right that I gave an update on how yesterday (Monday the 15th) went.
Having recruited girls from 4 schools surrounding the Red location museum we estimated that each school would more or less yield about 30 girls each. This estimate proved pretty accurate, but not exactly. Some of the schools had a lot less girls but the numbers were made up by other girls who we didn't recruit, they heard about the program somehow and here they were, playing and partipating! One school insisted that a teacher accompany the girls to the museum after school (our program starts at 2:00p.m, right after school) and so 25 girls did not attend Practice 1 of Skillz Street. We still had 111 girls show up, which was a great turnout considering our recruiting concerns early in this process.
Truth be told the start was a bit of a mess, because we needed to wait for everyone to arrive, and girls sauntered onto the pitch from different directions, some in their school uniform, while others had managed to change. The sun, accompanied by a typical Port Elizabeth gust made for a very hot day.
We ended up starting 40 minutes after our proposed start time of 2:00p.m. but I was delighted to see the large number of girls that had committed to participating. The opening circle was led by one of our coaches who introduced the rest of the coaches and led an energizer with all the kids.
Although concerns about fatigued school kids coming to our program in the unrelenting sun came up, the enthusiasm if the girls gave us the answer we needed and I think our staff and coaches fed off of the energy coming from the kids, I know I did.
Once we divided the teams between the coaches there was a lot more order to the day. The ladies played a game of bingo in order to get familiar with their team mates (they were divided into teams of 10) and then they went into Fairplay football. Fairplay football emphasizes player power and responsibilitries. Both teams meet at the beginning of the game and decide on 2 or 3 Fair play rules that both teams must adhere to. Examples of rules include: "No swearing; Help an injured player up and No fighting."
The girls were very enthusiastic in their play, and although there were various levels of play on show, it was clear that all the girls were happy get an opportunity to play the game. I have no doubt that all the girls will return Wednesday, I think we started Skillz Street on a high note, I just hope our program has a real impact on these young ladies.
*In response to overwhelming research promoting the value of girls’ participation in sport, coupled with the need for effective HIV prevention, GRS launched “Skillz Street” in early 2010. A girls-targeted intervention, Skillz Street combines an activities-based HIV prevention and life skills curriculum with fair play soccer and peer-led community outreach activities.
Having recruited girls from 4 schools surrounding the Red location museum we estimated that each school would more or less yield about 30 girls each. This estimate proved pretty accurate, but not exactly. Some of the schools had a lot less girls but the numbers were made up by other girls who we didn't recruit, they heard about the program somehow and here they were, playing and partipating! One school insisted that a teacher accompany the girls to the museum after school (our program starts at 2:00p.m, right after school) and so 25 girls did not attend Practice 1 of Skillz Street. We still had 111 girls show up, which was a great turnout considering our recruiting concerns early in this process.
Truth be told the start was a bit of a mess, because we needed to wait for everyone to arrive, and girls sauntered onto the pitch from different directions, some in their school uniform, while others had managed to change. The sun, accompanied by a typical Port Elizabeth gust made for a very hot day.
We ended up starting 40 minutes after our proposed start time of 2:00p.m. but I was delighted to see the large number of girls that had committed to participating. The opening circle was led by one of our coaches who introduced the rest of the coaches and led an energizer with all the kids.
Although concerns about fatigued school kids coming to our program in the unrelenting sun came up, the enthusiasm if the girls gave us the answer we needed and I think our staff and coaches fed off of the energy coming from the kids, I know I did.
Once we divided the teams between the coaches there was a lot more order to the day. The ladies played a game of bingo in order to get familiar with their team mates (they were divided into teams of 10) and then they went into Fairplay football. Fairplay football emphasizes player power and responsibilitries. Both teams meet at the beginning of the game and decide on 2 or 3 Fair play rules that both teams must adhere to. Examples of rules include: "No swearing; Help an injured player up and No fighting."
The girls were very enthusiastic in their play, and although there were various levels of play on show, it was clear that all the girls were happy get an opportunity to play the game. I have no doubt that all the girls will return Wednesday, I think we started Skillz Street on a high note, I just hope our program has a real impact on these young ladies.
*In response to overwhelming research promoting the value of girls’ participation in sport, coupled with the need for effective HIV prevention, GRS launched “Skillz Street” in early 2010. A girls-targeted intervention, Skillz Street combines an activities-based HIV prevention and life skills curriculum with fair play soccer and peer-led community outreach activities.
Led by GRS’ community role models, Skillz Coaches, and enhanced by the unique culture developed within Skillz programs, this girl-centered initiative creates a safe space for adolescent girls to play non-competitive soccer, take action in their community, and have vital conversations about HIV and AIDS.
In Port Elizabeth GRS has established a partnership with the Red location museum allowing the coaches to utilize field space in front of the museum. The museum chronicles the harsh realities faced by the anti-apartheid movement and now through Skillz street, it will play host to a movement that is striving to deal with one of the harshest realities of today.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Red City football club: More than a club...
On Friday, myself and Joel went out to the Red Location which is a small area that forms part of New Brighton township. We were recruiting teams for the upcoming HIV Counseling and Testing Soccer tournament on December 4th. We need about 12 teams of 10 kids, half boys half girls totaling 120 kids. The tournament is an opportunity for us to reach kids in the community with our curriculum through an all day event that will involve soccer, some life skill and HIV prevention lessons in a fun environment at an event that will also be open to the public - with free HIV Counseling and Testing for all.
That is the background. Moses is one of our business associates, whose work involves printing certificates for our graduations, printing shirts for events and other printing related jobs we need done. He also works after hours as the head coach for City Lads. A lady's soccer team playing in the provincial league and the team that provided GRS with its first group of female coaches back in 2007 (most of these coaches, including Titie are still with us). He is a resident of New Brighton, and the Red Location area in particular. After mentioning Skillz street to him, he set us up with a meeting with an influential person at the Red location museum who has since allowed us to use the museum premises for Skillz Street. On Friday we were looking for teams for the HCT though, and Moses was once again on hand to assist.
Moses' story is as important as anyone's story told on this blog. Here is a man who is so invested in the well being of his community that he is willing to take time out to make sure important work such as life skills training and HIV prevention is being done for the benefits of ids in the area. Speaking to him about the area he lives in, one can easily tell how important it is to him, and his assistance so far has proven this. After being introduced to a few community members Moses took us to a weekly club meeting hosted by Red City Football Club, a men's team. I know next to no background on the team but the sequence of events that occurred at the meeting inspired me.
We walked into the Red City meeting, and from the start I felt like we had invaded their space. Moses assured us that it was ok, and encouraged us to seat ourselves to grab seats in a very conspicuous corner next to the most senior member of the club who was discussing what seemed to be a very solemn issue with a room full of club members whose age ranged from (I speculate here) 15 to 55. The small living room packed in about 12 men and boys and in we walked, clearly disrupting the meeting. We were soon reassured though by the old patriarch of the team, who welcomed us and gave us the floor to say our bit. Moses spoke most of the time, on our behalf and then me and Joel followed with our appeal to get the younger members of Red City F.C. involved. When it was time for questions/comments a senior member of the team thanked us for reaching out to them and he hoped that the relationship could be maintained. The welcome was a warm one and I am sure we will get at least 2 teams from Red City.
One thing that came up was the fact that the guys playing for Red City are disadvantaged in several ways, and even playing football the game they love so much is affected by a lack of resources like balls, kits and other supplies. I could not promise these guys anything at all, except valuable participation in an important life skills curriculum for their younger members.
The club has clearly been around for a long time, judging from the age of it's most senior member. I would really like to find out more about the club, because if it hasn't already been done I think their story should be told and if I can assist them in any way I would certainly like to. My short encounter with the Red City football club was just one instance that shows the true importance of the game in so many African communities. The club's structure fosters a system where people have a sense of belonging and investment in a structure that gives the younger guys an opportunity to keep busy, have fun and learn directly from older men in the community through the club.
It was a truly "grassroot" moment. I wonder what the World Cup legacy would be for clubs like Red City and people involved. These are the people that truly love the game, and I am not sure if enough was done to connect them to global extravaganza. This can be a discussion for another day, but I am thankful that Moses introduced us to some of the people that make up the community in the Red location area.
That is the background. Moses is one of our business associates, whose work involves printing certificates for our graduations, printing shirts for events and other printing related jobs we need done. He also works after hours as the head coach for City Lads. A lady's soccer team playing in the provincial league and the team that provided GRS with its first group of female coaches back in 2007 (most of these coaches, including Titie are still with us). He is a resident of New Brighton, and the Red Location area in particular. After mentioning Skillz street to him, he set us up with a meeting with an influential person at the Red location museum who has since allowed us to use the museum premises for Skillz Street. On Friday we were looking for teams for the HCT though, and Moses was once again on hand to assist.
Moses' story is as important as anyone's story told on this blog. Here is a man who is so invested in the well being of his community that he is willing to take time out to make sure important work such as life skills training and HIV prevention is being done for the benefits of ids in the area. Speaking to him about the area he lives in, one can easily tell how important it is to him, and his assistance so far has proven this. After being introduced to a few community members Moses took us to a weekly club meeting hosted by Red City Football Club, a men's team. I know next to no background on the team but the sequence of events that occurred at the meeting inspired me.
We walked into the Red City meeting, and from the start I felt like we had invaded their space. Moses assured us that it was ok, and encouraged us to seat ourselves to grab seats in a very conspicuous corner next to the most senior member of the club who was discussing what seemed to be a very solemn issue with a room full of club members whose age ranged from (I speculate here) 15 to 55. The small living room packed in about 12 men and boys and in we walked, clearly disrupting the meeting. We were soon reassured though by the old patriarch of the team, who welcomed us and gave us the floor to say our bit. Moses spoke most of the time, on our behalf and then me and Joel followed with our appeal to get the younger members of Red City F.C. involved. When it was time for questions/comments a senior member of the team thanked us for reaching out to them and he hoped that the relationship could be maintained. The welcome was a warm one and I am sure we will get at least 2 teams from Red City.
One thing that came up was the fact that the guys playing for Red City are disadvantaged in several ways, and even playing football the game they love so much is affected by a lack of resources like balls, kits and other supplies. I could not promise these guys anything at all, except valuable participation in an important life skills curriculum for their younger members.
The club has clearly been around for a long time, judging from the age of it's most senior member. I would really like to find out more about the club, because if it hasn't already been done I think their story should be told and if I can assist them in any way I would certainly like to. My short encounter with the Red City football club was just one instance that shows the true importance of the game in so many African communities. The club's structure fosters a system where people have a sense of belonging and investment in a structure that gives the younger guys an opportunity to keep busy, have fun and learn directly from older men in the community through the club.
It was a truly "grassroot" moment. I wonder what the World Cup legacy would be for clubs like Red City and people involved. These are the people that truly love the game, and I am not sure if enough was done to connect them to global extravaganza. This can be a discussion for another day, but I am thankful that Moses introduced us to some of the people that make up the community in the Red location area.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Updates
Here's what I've been working on:
Skillz Street: The last few weeks have been hectic to say the least. We managed to secure the Red Location museum as a location for Skillz Street which commences next week! This week we will be making sure our coaches are up to speed with the new curriculum, and getting ready to introduce approximately 100 girls to a curriculum that focuses on empowering them through recreational sport after school.
The Red Location museum front lawn will serve as our center of operations, the museum will be some back drop considering its historical significance. The museum honors the resistance movement to apartheid, with Port Elizabeth and New Brighton in particular (where the museum is) serving as an important hub of operations as the black majority sought to overcome the oppressive apartheid regime. Our work is very different to this, but hopefully this new curriculum will serve the community just as well. The importance of empowering and educating young girls in the community is especially important since research has shown that there are health benefits to recreational participation in sports for girls and the fact that HIV is disproportionally concentrated among women and girls.
HCT: We have secured a venue for the December 4th HIV Counseling and Testing soccer tournament, and now we're working on recruiting kids 14 to 17 to play in it. this time around the HCT is being run by myself and the 3 other interns. The responsibilities have increased significantly compared to the last one.
Skillz Holiday: An abridged version of our full Skillz curriculum, Skillz holiday reaches kids we haven't reached during the school year. All 9 Skillz lessons are delivered in a 5 day period as opposed to a few weeks. Skill holiday has its own feel and vibe, the kids get o play more soccer and the sessions are longer per day compared to the normal Skillz curriculum. Along with my direct supervisor, Titie I will be helping facilitate the delivery if the curriculum by our coaches in Walmer and Kwazakhele communities. The forst one will happen the week of December 26th and the second one will begin the week of December 6th. Each holiday program is anticipated to accomodate 300 kids - wow!
I'm enjoying the fact that I have been assigned much more responsibility. The opportunities to learn and grow are part of the reason I am doing this internship. The next few weeks will be enthralling, let's go!
Skillz Street: The last few weeks have been hectic to say the least. We managed to secure the Red Location museum as a location for Skillz Street which commences next week! This week we will be making sure our coaches are up to speed with the new curriculum, and getting ready to introduce approximately 100 girls to a curriculum that focuses on empowering them through recreational sport after school.
The Red Location museum front lawn will serve as our center of operations, the museum will be some back drop considering its historical significance. The museum honors the resistance movement to apartheid, with Port Elizabeth and New Brighton in particular (where the museum is) serving as an important hub of operations as the black majority sought to overcome the oppressive apartheid regime. Our work is very different to this, but hopefully this new curriculum will serve the community just as well. The importance of empowering and educating young girls in the community is especially important since research has shown that there are health benefits to recreational participation in sports for girls and the fact that HIV is disproportionally concentrated among women and girls.
HCT: We have secured a venue for the December 4th HIV Counseling and Testing soccer tournament, and now we're working on recruiting kids 14 to 17 to play in it. this time around the HCT is being run by myself and the 3 other interns. The responsibilities have increased significantly compared to the last one.
Skillz Holiday: An abridged version of our full Skillz curriculum, Skillz holiday reaches kids we haven't reached during the school year. All 9 Skillz lessons are delivered in a 5 day period as opposed to a few weeks. Skill holiday has its own feel and vibe, the kids get o play more soccer and the sessions are longer per day compared to the normal Skillz curriculum. Along with my direct supervisor, Titie I will be helping facilitate the delivery if the curriculum by our coaches in Walmer and Kwazakhele communities. The forst one will happen the week of December 26th and the second one will begin the week of December 6th. Each holiday program is anticipated to accomodate 300 kids - wow!
I'm enjoying the fact that I have been assigned much more responsibility. The opportunities to learn and grow are part of the reason I am doing this internship. The next few weeks will be enthralling, let's go!
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Inspiration: The story of KIVA
Intern updates on the way, just thought I would share this TEDtalk by Jessica Jackley
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