Teaching My Students about HIV

 Pictured: Grade 7 signing up to participate in Grassroot Soccer with my counterpart Brenda. 

Out of all of the activities I've done with my students, Grassroot Soccer is my (and my students') absolute favourite. Grassroot Soccer is an HIV prevention organization that uses the power of soccer to educate, inspire, and mobilize communities to stop the spread of HIV and AIDs in countries all over the world. 

As many people might already know, South Africa has one of the highest rates of HIV in the world, with 1 in 3 people infected. Many people in South Africa contract HIV due to being miseducated as well as not being informed. When HIV first became a crisis many people in South Africa believed it was a lie by the government to discourage sex, and in many places around South Africa, this is still the belief. Grassroot Soccer is trying to combat this and other misconceptions about HIV, by teaching students about HIV and how it spreads, as well as having discussions about life, achieving goals, and how to protect themselves and others. 

Grassroot Soccer is a 12 session course, with each session lasting for about an hour. Each session focuses on a different issue. I have taught GRS to the grades 7-9 in the school where I work. To make sure to reach all the students in my school, I use the Life Orientation period. I break each class up into two sections, and while one half of the class is participating in GRS, the other half of the class is working on Life Orientation homework, and then they switch. 

 Pictured: Grade 8 playing "fact vs. nonsense" which helps uncover myths about HIV.

Grassroot Soccer focuses on many different aspects of HIV. It teaches students that you cannot tell if someone has HIV or not by looking at them. This is important since a person could be outcasted by their community because they might look unhealthy. I've also stressed this to my students because I want them to know that they only true way they can know their status is if they go to the clinic and get tested.

Pictured: My students lining up as goalies, to show how condoms (the goalies) help protect you from HIV (the soccer ball).

We also discuss about what can put you at risk for getting HIV. The major risks that GRS try to discourage are; unprotected sex (sex without a condom), multiple partners at one time, older partners (5 years or more), and mixing sex with alcohol. 

 Pictured: The two soccer balls represent two sexual partners, this represents how much harder it is to reach matric (graduation) without getting HIV when you have more than one sexual partner.

Another important aspect of Grassroot Soccer is teaching the students what HIV is and how it attacks the body. Many students do not understand how HIV kills you, and why most people with HIV usually die from TB. We also discuss ARVs, and how ARVs puts HIV to sleep and that it doesn't cure it. 

 Pictured: My students playing a game that shows how HIV attacks the immune system, and how ARV puts HIV to sleep. The soccer ball represents germs, the girl in the back represents the human, the boy in the yellow shirt represents the immune system (who tries to deflect the ball), the girl in the skirt represents HIV (who is trying to distract the immune system), and the boy in the green vest represents the ARVs which is holding the HIV back from the immune system. It's less complicated when you play it.

Finally my favourite and the most important aspect of Grassroot Soccer is breaking down gender discrimination. Throughout GRS we discuss gender discrimination in their community, and what they can do to change what is happening. Many of my male students have opened up about rape in their community, and have had open discussions about it with the female students, and together have created solutions on how to make the community a safer place for both gender. GRS also teaches my male and female students that they are able to play sports together. When I begin GRS with a new class, the students are very segregated by gender, but about six sessions in, they are cheering each other on, and encourage each other to join in with playing netball and soccer. 

Pictured: One of my female students playing soccer, which is typically a male dominated sport. Since playing GRS, both genders play soccer and netball.

I have loved coaching Grassroot Soccer. It has not only taught my students about HIV but also about making good life choices, and to work hard towards their goals. It has helped my students open up to me, and ask questions that desperately needed answers. I don't think I would have had the same relationship with my students without this program.