The impact of Grassroot Soccer programming can be traced back to an approachable yet intricate concept: The Three A’s. Each of these pillars – assets, access, and adherence – lend themselves to the shared success of Grassroot Soccer Participants and Coaches. Assets provide increased health knowledge and the confidence to use it; Access ensures the increased uptake of high quality health services; and Adherence encourages compliance with medical treatment, therapy, and healthy behaviors.
To witness The Three A’s in action, read Kawama’s story below. Kawama, a Grassroot Soccer Zambia Participant, graduated in March 2018.
“I have learnt a lot from Grassroot Soccer. I learnt how to overcome my fears, how to disclose my status, and I how to be there for people and how to support them.
Grassroot Soccer is more like a home for me – it’s helped me build a future. I would really love it if people would attend Grassroot Soccer programming on a regular basis. My mother never actually new that I was coming here until I told her am going to U.T.H.; when she asked what was there, I told her about Grassroot Soccer activities. I was told about Grassroot Soccer thanks to the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation.
Grassroot Soccer has helped me in understanding adherence in specific ways such as what time to take medications, when to go to the hospital, how to tell people that can support you (and not tell people that can bring you down) – we learned how to disclose your status to people that can actually build your future, not destroy it. The idea of “burning it down to the ground” taught me how to read between the lines, not just seeing things as they are, but to search deeper.
These activities can help you build a future. I got a certificate that I can use to better my resume. I would advise youths that shun such activities to just come through to Grassroot Soccer, because they are actually really helpful. It is not all about you knowing it all, it’s about you learning more. This life is all about knowledge and sharing it with others
One of the activities I really liked centered around healthy relationships; I learnt how to build a strong and confident relationship. I learnt how to build a relationship based on trust and placing value on differing points of view. Thank you, Grassroot Soccer!”