MALARIA

Grassroot Soccer is proud to work with various partners around the world to use soccer as a tool to help end malaria.

The Need

Our Role

Grassroot Soccer teamed up with the ExxonMobil Foundation in 2011 to develop a soccer-based malaria prevention curriculum to be implemented by local organizations in Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, and Tanzania. The program has been hugely successful due largely to the strength of our local partners and a passion for soccer among youth in these countries.

Grassroot Soccer provides technical support through curriculum development, training, organizational capacity development, and program design. Our local partners work with ExxonMobil’s local affiliates and governments to provide activity-based educational programs in schools and at soccer pitches in areas that are heavily affected by malaria.

As a result of the success of the ExxonMobil-supported malaria projects, GRS is also now partnering with Peace Corps to integrate soccer-based malaria prevention activities into the Stomp Out Malaria program delivered in 22 countries in Africa by Peace Corps volunteers and local partners.

GRS Approach

Our Impact

  • 77,000 young people

    were provided comprehensive malaria prevention education

  • 20% improvement

    in general malaria knowledge

  • 18,000+ mosquito nets

    were distributed to SKILLZ participants and community members

  • 32% improvement

    in knowledge of malaria treatment adherence

  • 4,972 SKILLZ

    participants and community members tested for malaria

  • 22% improvement

    in knowledge about bed net maintenance