Playing football, kicking AIDS out

The annual East-Africa Cup took place June-July in Moshi, Tanzania. FK Norway and the Norwegian embassy in Dar-es-Salaam contributed financially to a tournament were not only football was important.

By Henrik Stabell (including photos)  August 08 2006.

The finale Under 16 Boys.

Teams from Kenya and Tanzania playing.

Different workshops were an important aspect of the tournament.

FC Lyn from Norway and Emima from Tanzania.

Moshi, a small town situated at the foot of Kilimanjaro, hosted the third annual tournament for young football players from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Norway. Nearly 900 participants playing for 43 teams participated. Of course, winning the tournament was the major goal for most teams. But the event was also an awareness ranging and competence development event for the participants.

 

One such competence is the development of HIV/AIDS awareness. Through the Kicking AIDS Out approach, specific events and seminars were conducted for all participants in the tournament. These seminars gave opportunity to the participants to explore their knowledge on prevention methods, risk behaviours and HIV prevention, support and care. The intention was that these seminars would serve to promote and build HIV/AIDS awareness and other life skills amongst the young people.

The tournament had many heroes. Amongst them was the Under 20 Girls team from Pemba. They came to the tournament with virtually no knowledge of football as netball was their sport. However, with great courage and heart, they entered the field against Emima, one of he best Tanzanian teams. Pelma lost overwhelmingly. However, they won many hearts outside the field with their courage and ability to spread joy and friendship. They came here without the necessary equipment, but they quickly got a lot of help from their opponents. Chrisc Tanga supplied them with shirts and strips, while Emima taught them the basic of football before the game.

This shows what the tournament is mainly about: Creating friendships and networks between communities, countries and various denominations.

 

Henrik Stabell works for Norwegian People's Aid. The article is edited by FK staff.