The calm after the storm, Part 3

Practice 3

Last Thursday (as noted in a previous blog) we were part of the GRS Coaches’ development session. A weekly event that brings together all the coaches in the site, helping them improve their delivery of the all important Skillz curriculum. Grassroot Soccer is commited to excellent delivery of this very important prevention strategy amojng youths in its flagship sites (mainly based in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia). We, the interns were given a fast track look into the sessions (we got to see 7 out of the 9 done in 2 days last week), which helped give us an idea of what the program is about.

N.B. Out of respect of the coaches I have not included their names in any of these posts.

Practice 3 was done by O., it is known as “Find the Ball.” As one of the first Practices, it is important to set the tone for the rest of the curriculum and make sure basic facts about HIV/AIDS are understood by the participants. The objectives of this game include: stressing that you cannot tell by looking at someone that they are HIV-positive; helping participants locate testing services in their community and talking about the benefits and challenges of testing for HIV.

Participants are asked to form 2 teams (possibly more, depending on numbers) with each team’s members standing shoulder to shoulder with their hands behind their back (similar to a wall used to defend free-kicks in football matches) . The teams then face each other and the coach introduces 2 tennis balls, each ball representing a person who is HIV positive. The coach gives each team a ball, and members pass the ball between each other until he yells “STOP.” At this point the other team guesses who has the ball, and should they guess right they get a point. This process goes on back and forth for 15 or so minutes. In the initial round, the kids are simply playing the game, with the tennis balls holding no particular significance. After that initial round, the coach stresses the point that the kids will pretend that the ball actually represents an HIV positive individual.

Results invariably varied, and in our case no one guessed right as several volunteers demonstrated the game to the rest of the coaches at O.’s instruction. The coach then leads a discussion seeking to emphasize the point that anyone can have the HIV virus and physical appearance can never be a way to determine their status.

O. went on to lead a discussion on myths that exists concerning HIV and AIDS. This tests the general knowledge of the audience about the disease and the coach may need to provide guidance by highlighting key myths.

The key message from this discussion on myths would be that individuals can only truly know their status if they get tested. This could be one’s local hospital, clinic and HIV Counseling and Testing centers (HCTs). The coach needs to help the kids understand what testing resources exist in their own communities, and why it is important to get tested. O. made this point by leading the discussion on these very issues.

Every Skillz session involves homework, which is known as a Micro move, for this Practice it is for the kids to visit a local HCT or clinic and bring back an information pamphlet. This keeps kids invested in Skillz in their daily lives outside of the sessions, another good learning tool.

An example of find the Ball (demonstration by none other than Sir Elton John, on his 63rd birthday spent with GRS in March of this year):

Part 1

Part 2

reaching the children en masse!

GRS aims to reach 1 million African youth by the 2014 FIFA World Cup, spreading practical advice on HIV prevention, in areas where the prevalence rate of the disease has had significant negative effects on communities. Reaching the youth is a key strategy in combating the epidemic.

The Calm after the storm Part 2

Practice 8

Last Thursday (as noted in the previous blog) we were part of the GRS Coaches’ development session. A weekly event that brings together all the coaches in the site, helping them improve their delivery of the all important Skillz curriculum. Grassroot Soccer is commited to excellent delivery of this very important prevention strategy amojng youths in its flagship sites (mainly based in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia). We, the interns were given a fast track look into the sessions (we got to see 7 out of the 9 done in 2 days last week), which helped give us an idea of what the program is about.

N.B. Out of respect of the coaches I have not included their names in any of these posts.

This particular practice was led by N., and it is entitled "Red Card." Borrowing the use of the red card in football to expel a player who is sent off the field of play for dangerous play or excessive infringements, this game helps the kids highlight situations that can lead to the contraction of the HIV/AIDS virus. By Practice 8 it is hoped that the kids have added to their knowledge base, and they are aware of the stigmas, risks and negative behaviors associated with HIV and AIDS. N. was very upbeat and she conveyed the message clearly and concisely. The energy of the coaches is truly inspirational and today’s practice was a reflection of that.

This is the second last practice so one hopes the kids are fully aware of the risks associated with the HIV virus, and importantly all the situations that can lead to transmission of the disease. The key in this game is to highlight the risks that can lead to transmission, so no other key messages or Skillz terms are introduced in this particular game.

Coach N. divided the room into 5 groups, each assigned a role play situation that they would act out in front of the whole group. Eah group took the call to make the skits funny and indeed we were treated to some entertaining shorts! The key moments in each skit are when the audience gets to use their red cards to indicate when a risky situation arises. Whether it be the cab drive asking for a young girl’s phone number; peer pressure to have unproted sex; a teacher showing an abnormal interest in a student or a mother encouraging her son/daughter to go out with an older person. Once again, visual learning is utilized. Helping the kids understand fully what a situation that would warrant a “red card” may look like. The coach was quick to emphasize that we will not have red cards in all the situations we face in day yto life, but highlighting the potentially risky situations is extremely important.

The Coach’s guide suggests that it is ok for boys to play girls and vice versa, I found this to be a profound point as it helps both sexes understand different roles that the other genders can play. It is particularly important in highlighting the way women have been traditionally been forced to submit in many cultures, something that young boys may not necessarily be aware of.

After each role N. asked several questions in order to ensure the audience completely understood why red cards were given. She also asked how the situation was related to HIV, an important point as you bring the learning experience full circle. She also asked if the particular situations played out happen in the community. Yes will be the typical answer in the sites that GRS is based, making the red card exercise very relevant.

The lesson gets even more personal as coach asks if anyone can share a story about a time they found themselves in one of those situations. With the trust and experiences shared among participants this can be a crucial teaching moment, that only enhances the lesson. The coach asks the volunteer how they got out of the situation and tells to the group as a whole that these situations can be overcome, with early action. Red card is an important lesson, and the role plays put a real life twist on all the lessons learnt in Skillz. Thank you N. for a great lesson.

The Calm after the storm Part 1.

Post written Monday August 23rd:

Development session review: Practice 1

Please note: Out of respect for the coaches I have left out their names from my descriptions of the development sessions.

Its Monday afternoon, and I've decided to take this time to review what I learnt at Friday and Saturday's development sessions as mentioned in my last post.

As the week begins we're getting ready for the VCT (HIV Volunteer, Counselling and Testing) soccer tournament coming up on September 24th. This will involve contacting the local hospital for nurses, medical supplies, and first aid. We will also be getting entertainment from Coca-cola, among other perks for what will be a soccer tournament involving 15 organizations from Zwide and surrounding townships (who will be responsible for recruiting teams) and providing a referee each. The idea is to encourage team members to get a free HIV test which we will make available, with free counseling also available before and after the test (should they test positive). For every player that takes the test, the particular team they belong to gets points that go to the overall tally. We plan on having other incentives to encourage players to get tested including shirts and overall prizes for the tournament itself (there are of course points for wins and draws). Importantly the VCT will be open to the general public and we will be advertising it to the community through radio, fliers and the participating organizations. The VCT falls on a public holiday, Heritage day, which we hope will bring more participants and members of the community.

We've decided to ask that teams have members who are aged 15 to 17. There will be about 10 boys teams and 5 girls teams (in separate sections). They will also be awarded points for participating in Grassroot Soccer activities that will be led by GRS coaches during the tournament. Although the VCT doesn't have the same amount of time with the kids as the Skillz curriculum, it is an opportunity to educate these young people in a fun and easy way using some of the most interactive games off the Skillz curriculum. The free testing is crucial in itself too.

The current strike in South Africa is impacting our progress negatively at the moment since places like the hospital are functioning at a bare minimum which means our enquiries will be stalled. I hope the situation is resolved soon and amicably considering the importance of better wages for many South Africans who earn a pittance compared to their peers in the West (although South Africa is one of Africa's strongest economies). I guess its also important that the wage increases don't outstrip the inflation rate too much since this may curtail economic growth. Ok, too much econ! I just hope it all gets resolved!

On to the development sessions in detail which happened last week. Like I said earlier, these were great tools for me to learn exactly what GRS is all about and what the kids get on a weekly basis in the Skillz program. We'll start on Thursday:

Proceedings started outside, led by K. (no real names will be used, I haven’t asked the coaches for permission to put their names online), one of the coaches in Zwide, we did Practice 1 which is vital as it introduces skills, and in my opinion sets the tone for the rest of the program. According to the Skillz Guide to Coaches Practice 1 sets out to get kids to see the Skillz sessions as a "safe space" to discuss and learn about life skills, plus HIV and AIDS. Each Practice starts off with an energizer, which gets participants pumped up for upcoming proceedings and games which are very interactive. We sang songs in Xhosa and most of the coaches showed off their dance moves. One word from this initial 2 minutes of Practice 1, joy! What a way to begin. Although I couldn't understand the songs sung in Xhosa, I was just as energized as anyone in the group. Its important to note that the curriculum is usually taught in the native language of the participants. This increases the comfort level for the kids to fully participate.

Each Practice also focuses on one sort of game or activity that involves all the participants. The idea is to get the kids to learn through action and translate these lessons to real life scenarios where HIV/AIDS is involved. In this practice we played a game called Choices, where the coach describes a category, like "Favorite Car" and participants find people with common interests in the group. Once you find your group you cheer for that choice, and draw others sharing your preference. The point of this game is to highlight the different preferences people have, but also to show that sometimes people have preferences that they hold in isolation from a group, which ties into one of the key messages of this practice which was, "You can make choices to avoid getting or spreading HIV and AIDS."

In order to get the investment of participants into the curriculum, participants are asked to sign a Skillz Trial Contract which forms the basic principles to be followed throughout the curriculum. 3 key words are written in big bold letters by the coach on a flip chart. The words are RESPECT (for one's peers and authority); PLAY (indicating that all participants should fully participate while having fun) and COACH (which implores the individual to be a role model to others through healthy choices and behaviors, while sharing their new knowledge within their communities). Should they agree with the contract as explained by the coach, all participants are then asked to sign the contract.

There were plenty of Kilo!s in this practice and more were to follow in the others. Every so often the coach, in this case, K. would introduce a Skillz term. These terms are words to be reinforced throughout the curriculum in order to help participants in their everyday situations whether they involve the HIV virus or not. One of today's words was "Strengths" which is defined as "the things you are good at, the things you like to do and the things you learn quickly." Another term introduced was, "Coach's voice" which is a term referring to "the coach inside your head, or the inner voice that helps you make good decisions." You could refer to this as the conscience.

Another key message that is established in this first practice is the fact that HIV is a big problem in this case, South Africa. Most of the kids will know this, but it is important to highlight this should any doubt exist. Fighting the disease through the youth is going to prove vital in terms of the future direction the disease will take (downhill we hope), and one of the first steps needs to be to make sure they are aware of how much of a problem it is.

Practice 1 ends with an announcement by the coach. She highlights essential sillz to WIN, in life and in all other endeavors: KNOW THE GAME (know your rights and responsibility, know your strengths); BUILD YOUR TEAM (healthy relationships with family, friends and other supporters) and MAKE YOUR MOVE! (Takle challenges, protect yourself and others from HIV and AIDS). Essential tools in the life of a young person in a world wrought with risks that can cost one's life! Practice 1 has a lot to cover in 45 minutes, it is indeed a whirlwind start to the curriculum, but I feel it provides a solid base to the other 9 practices. Each practice is supposed to last about 45 minutes, long enough to cover a good amount of material, while not losing the attention of a group of 12 to 14 year olds.

From observing the coaches throughout the 2 days and interacting with most of them, I can conclude that they are in it for the right reasons and their outgoing and caring attitudes make them excellent stewards for these important life skills lessons. On to Practice 8! (on Thursday we practiced #1, #8 and #3 in that order)

A moment of clarity

I am in a new country experiencing its people, culture, languages, traits, traditions, prejudices, and weather for the course of a year. Although I was born and raised in neighbouring Zimbabwe, I cannot claim to have extensive views and insights on this country besides general viewpoinbts that I have developed through my learning and television.

At times when you read this blog you might mistakenly think that I am foreign to Africa and its unique localities and lets face it oddities at times.  I am an African through and through (born and raised here, for the first 19 years of my short life) and I have seen and experienced the many aspects of life on the continent, but not all.

Driving into the township of Zwide every morning is incredibly humbling, especially for someone who hasn't  experienced township life extensively. And again we're only working in the township, not living and breathing it day and night. As much as there is economic lack in places like this, the undoubted spirit of opportunism and genuine joy in day to day interactions does exist. Without being too romantic about the whole scenario, I must qualify my statements and say that crime and violence are very much present and they are an unfortunate aspect of life in the township, but I believe in the good of the majority of people living here more than the negative element. 

Looking at the townships of Port Elizabeth (especially the ones we work in mainly: Zwide being our base) is especially humbling when I consider how people living in townships back in Zimbabwe, are possibly worse off economically considering our country’s recent struggles. I only hope and pray that the work of the like of GRS can help the people gain access to more opportunities as they seek to pull themselves out of a life of lack. I think the resourcefulness that exists among the people of the township is a lesson in creating something out of perceived lack.

Africa will always amaze and intrigue me. I am always seeking inspiration from its people, whether it be family, friends or people leading special lives. Either way, I’m encouraged and hopefull. 

Viva Africa!

Programs.

I know many people have requested a formal description of my position here in South Africa. Here’s the definition of my job by the book. Its really important to note that GRS is a growing organization (rapidly, I have to say) and our positions are fluid as opposed to fixed, so as a Programs intern I can end up doing Operations, Marketing or Community relations work!

Here it is:
The purpose of the position is to gain on-the-job experience with HIV/AIDS prevention youth volunteer programs and develop community health skills.

Responsibilities:

Depending on the goals, skills and interests of the intern as well as current priorities in the Programs department. These may include:

1. Assist in planning and implementing GRS recruiting/training/education programs.
2. Recruit community based volunteers.
3. Network with community organizations to develop relationships and promote GRS products, programs and services.
4. Plan, coordinate and represent GRS community events as necessary.
5. Help develop the skills and build capacity field staff and local GRS coaches.
6. Assist with collecting and reporting on program monitoring and evaluation data.

Here’s a description I submitted to the GRS site, its basically what I see my job to be so far, from what I’ve learnt and been told:

I am a Programs intern. I will working directly with the Master Coaches, Head Coaches and Skillz in their attempts to recruit youths to the program through the different schools serving the New Brighton, Zwide and Motherwell townships in Port Elizabeth. I will also be assisting coaches acquire all the materials necessary to make sure the curriculum is delivered in the most effective way possible. At weekly development sessions I will help assist coaches improve their curriculum delivery through co-facilitating the sessions, giving them feedback, and taking their own feedback to the Site Co-ordinator and the Master Coaches.

House.

The undisputed soundtrack of the township, House music is a distinct feature of my experience so far in South Africa. For me South African house encompasses the expression, joie de vivre, an exultation of the spirit. Looking at the way it makes the people move, I can't help but smile. I love music, and most people love music. For a few moments people escape problems and complications, entering this joyful world punctuated by a well defined baseline, and seductive lyrics.Sometimes there are no lyrics, sometimes the beat is very simple, but the joy is always there. I'm growing to like house ( I already had 2 songs on my ipod. Below is one of them, we'll see how many more I'll add to my growing library of music!