Our programs focus on HIV prevention, care, and treatment to reduce new HIV infections and provide life-saving support to adolescents living with HIV
Despite significant progress over the past several decades, adolescents have been left behind in the fight against HIV
#1 In sub-Saharan Africa, HIV is still a leading cause of death for adolescents
2/3Two-thirds of adolescents don’t know their HIV status and are not using life-saving medication (which suppresses the virus and prevents further spread)
2-3xDepression is 2-3x more common in people living with HIV
6xIn sub-Saharan Africa, nearly six times as many adolescent girls are newly infected with HIV than adolescent boys
Our Solution
Grassroot Soccer programs use a prevention, care, and treatment model to equip adolescents with the knowledge and skills they need to stop the spread of HIV
Prevention: We use soccer games and metaphors to equip young people with the knowledge and tools they need to identify and avoid risks that lead to spreading and contracting HIV, as well as connect youth with HIV testing (so they know their status) and high-impact prevention services such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC), and condoms.
Care: Youth living with HIV have specific needs. We provide critical, holistic care for HIV-positive participants, including mental health support and a caring community of peers and mentors whom they can relate to.
Treatment: We help HIV-positive youth access life-saving antiretroviral therapy (ART) treatment, and support them to stay on medication so they can live longer, healthier lives, as well as reduce the risk of transmitting HIV to others.
Program Highlight: SKILLZ Plus for Youth Living with HIV
SKILLZ Plus is Grassroot Soccer’s fun and interactive program that uses soccer and play-based learning to address the specific needs of youth living with HIV.
SKILLZ Plus creates a safe space where HIV-positive youth learn critical knowledge and skills necessary to navigate different aspects of living with HIV, including disclosure of their status, healthy relationships, mental health, and adherence to life-saving antiretroviral therapy (ART), which reduces the amount of HIV in the body and prevents the transmission of HIV to others .
Like the participants, SKILLZ Plus Coaches themselves are living with HIV. This means that every participant has a mentor who can relate to their unique challenges and serve as a trusted role model and support system.
Our Impact
We’re reducing the number of new HIV infections while helping adolescents living with HIV access and adhere to life-saving treatment
3xParticipants are 2x more likely to test for HIV after going through Grassroot Soccer programs, resulting in 3x fewer new HIV infections.
100%of Grassroot Soccer participants who test positive for HIV are linked to life-saving antiretroviral treatment (ART).
98%of HIV-positive participants linked to treatment are virally suppressed, which makes HIV untransmittable to others.
I felt like I became a different person after losing myself when I found out about my HIV status; I felt like I was reborn because of Grassroot Soccer.
