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globalbike and Grassroot Soccer Team up in Zambia. globalbike has started working with Grassroot Soccer ("GRS") on a project that involves two refugee settlements, Mayukwayukwa and Meheba. These settlements provide a unique environment for Grassroot Soccer to run its HIV and AIDS prevention education program, and for globalbike to test the effectiveness of bikes in their process. Zambia is home to many refugee youth who are often overlooked when it comes to certain programs in country partly due to issues like language barriers, physical location, and status as a refugee. Grassroots Soccer (GRS), uses the game of soccer as a universal language and analogy to educate children on the risks of HIV and engage them in a community effort to prevent the spread of HIV. Grassroots Soccer is another partner with globalbike that works to improve public health conditions in Zambia. Grassroots Soccer has used soccer as a model for healthy living. Using the power of soccer in the fight against AIDS, GRS provides African youth with the skills and support to live HIV free.This project allows Grassroot Soccer to empower refugees to become Grassroot Soccer coaches and teach their communities about various health-related issues while also allowing our partner organization, Breakthrough Sports Academy (BSA), to help train football coaches and set up a football league for both boys and girls within the settlements. Ideally GRS volunteers travel to all the different areas within the settlements to check on how the interventions are going and be of assistance or make note of any issues. When coaches were first identified to be trained they were intentionally chosen from all areas of the settlements in order to ensure that the program reaches all corners of camp. However, because of this it is difficult for the volunteers check on programs throughout the settlement because of its enormous size, especially Meheba Refugee Settlement. Mayukwayukwa also has as the issue of no phone network so in order to communicate one must speak in person. Bicycles help the volunteers do a great job in overseeing programs because they have the mobility to move all throughout to check on all coaches regardless of how far away they live. |
