Skillz Holiday

Last week was entirely different from our usual routine. We ran two different programs called Skillz Holiday that were intended to keep the kids out of trouble during their week-long break from school and learn about HIV/AIDS while playing soccer. Lindsay and I shared responsibility for one of sites. We basically tried to control chaos everyday. It was exhausting, but well worth it to finally be in the field rather than the office. In total, 103 kids, between the ages of ten and sixteen, graduated from our program.



The daily schedule alternated two Skillz Core activities that taught about HIV/AIDS with two Skillz Street soccer games. Skillz Core has 8 practices in total, which left Friday for a fun World Cup style tournament and graduation for all participants who had attended at least 6 practices. The Skillz Core practices are 45 minutes in length. They begin and are interspersed with “energizers”, which are used to excite the kids and maintain their attention. My current favorite is “Besh”, which involves the coach naming a body part in Setswana, the local language, and everyone moving that body part in a side-to-side dance. I love it so much that I frequently walk around singing it. The coaches and kids also find it hysterical when I try to do it. Apparently my dancing skills aren’t quite up to par.



Following a few energizers, the practice begins. My favorite practice is Risk Field. I may be biased since I taught this game to kids when I volunteered in the Dominican Republic, but I really think it’s the best game because it perfectly combines a soccer activity with learning about HIV/AIDS. The game begins with the kids lining up in two separate groups. In front of each group, there six cones in a straight line that they must dribble through. The ball that each team has represents their life. Each cone represents a different risk in their life. For example, one is labeled “sex without a condom” and another is “sugar mommies and daddies”. The goal is to have all team members dribble through the cones as quickly as possible without touching the cones. During the first round, if a player hits a cone, he or she must do five pushups. In the second round, his or entire team must do five pushups. In the final round, all teams and coaches must do pushups whenever someone hits a cone. The point of the game is that when you take a risk in life, you are not the only person affected. Your friends, your family, your teachers – everyone in your life is affected, especially when it comes to HIV. There is a brilliant quote that captures the essence of HIV in South Africa, that goes along the lines of: If you are not infected, you are still affected.



The Skillz Street games focused on Fair Play, which emphasizes sportsmanship and awards teams extra points for following three extra rules that the teams agree upon. For example, one of the rules they may choose is that whenever a goal is scored, both teams have to celebrate, regardless of whether it was their team or the opposing team that scored. Another rule is that if an opponent falls, you must help him or her up. It was amazing to see these rules diligently followed by the kids. I’ve never seen a team erupt in celebration with their when a goal was scored upon them. I really liked it and hope that the kids incorporate some of the Fair Play philosophy when they play outside of Skillz.



On the last day, we held the World Cup style tournament. We assigned each team a country and they played to reach the championship. Many of the games were decided by penalty kicks at the end, which created a really fun atmosphere. All of the kids in the camp gathered around the goal and the kicker for each kick. Immediately after the shot, the teams would explode in celebration. The winners, runners-up, and best sportsmen of the tournament were awarded special Skillz medals and all graduates were presented with Skillz certificates and Castrol hats (Castrol sponsored the program). They were all pretty pumped to get some goodies.



The last part of the day and perhaps the most important, was an HIV Voluntary Counseling and Testing area that I arranged. New Start, an organization that provides free testing and counseling, agreed to partner with us to test interested participants and coaches. Many kids wanted to be tested, but unfortunately they were not allowed to test unless they were fourteen years old. Most of our kids were younger, but it was great to see their excitement toward learning their status. In total, we had 28 kids test the two sites. One child tested HIV positive and was referred to a local clinic for more counseling and treatment. It’s sad to face the reality of having a child test positively, but the upside is that the child now knows his status and can start treatment immediately. Hopefully, after attending Skillz, he will also take steps to prevent spreading HIV to others. I have so much more to write, but unfortunately not enough time right now. Hooter, Lindsay and I are heading down to Cape Town for Rockin the Daisies with a bunch of other interns. It’s an outdoor, eco-friendly, camping and concert series. We have a massive 10-seater van for the road trip, so it should be a great time. I’ll post more about all the great adventures next week!