How is Grassroot Soccer spreading awareness of HIV prevention? How does the organization work? GRS trains African soccer stars, coaches, teachers, and peer educators in the world’s most HIV-affected countries to deliver a curriculum called ‘Skillz’ which utilizes the popularity of soccer to teach youth about HIV & AIDS prevention. The Skillz curriculum focuses on building basic life skills that help boys and girls adopt healthy behaviors and live risk-free. Through a series of interactive activities and discussions students gain a tangible understanding of HIV and AIDS and get a chance to practice the skills necessary for sustainable behavior change. Key curriculum topics include making healthy decisions, avoiding risks, building support networks, reducing stigma and discrimination, increasing knowledge about testing and treatment, addressing gender issues, and assessing values.
Working in an organization like this must be very rewarding. Tell me in what ways working with Grassroot Soccer is a valuable experience for you. The experience I’ve gained, the people I’ve met, the culture I’ve been exposed to, and the way I’m pushed every day to continue working hard to try and make a difference have been the biggest rewards to me. I have learned so much from working here about the people, the culture, how non-profits operate, the universal language and power of soccer, and the devastating effects of HIV & AIDS. One of the most rewarding and enlightening experiences happened when I first moved here. I was out in the township visiting a site where we were teaching our curriculum and noticed some kids hanging out during their break. I stuck out like a sore thumb because, unfortunately, it is rare for them to see a white, blonde girl. They were obviously laughing to each other about me and whispering but I walked over anyway. I took out a soccer ball and started dribbling around and passing, and immediately all the barriers came crashing down. Even though I couldn’t communicate well with the kids because they were Xhosa speakers, and we came from completely different backgrounds and cultures, the moment I brought a soccer ball into the picture it was as if we had known each other for years and were best friends. It was easily one of the most rewarding and remarkable moments since being here because I witnessed first-hand that something as simple as a soccer ball has the ability to merge two people and two cultures together, and I think there are very few things in this world that have that same capability. More importantly, I gained even more confidence than I already had that soccer was powerful enough to successfully address and have an impact on the biggest health issue this continent, and our world, faces. Grassroot Soccer continues to prove to me everyday that we have the power to reduce the spread of this deadly virus by using soccer to educate children about HIV & AIDS, and our numbers and research prove it.
Where do you live and work in Africa? Was it daunting to move so far away and to such a different culture? Cape Town, South Africa. We have an office in the Central Business District but all the fieldwork we do is in the township of Khayelitsha, located on the peripheral of the city. It was slightly daunting moving here but I was so excited to have been granted the opportunity to make a difference in other peoples' lives, learn from a different culture, and explore a new land that any of my initial hesitations were mitigated.
I know that you were very involved in service and raising money to help others while you were at Oxford and Emory. How did you get interested in helping others in this way? My mom suffered from breast cancer so in highschool my dad and I came up with the idea to have his clothing and manufacturing company donate their breast cancer awareness merchandise to me, which I would then in turn sell at highschool functions. I donated 100% of the proceeds to breast cancer research at Washington University’s Siteman Cancer Center. The sales were extremely successful (over $10,000 in two years) and it was very rewarding raising money for a cause that I had a personal connection to.
When will you return to the United States? What do you plan to do when you return? I will return to the States in mid-August when my internship is over but I am unsure if I will stay there for very long. I plan on applying for jobs with companies such as Nike, Adidas, and FIFA in their CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) division and would love the opportunity to work in another country. I have also grown keen to the idea of applying for jobs that are focused on event management and strategic marketing, primarily in the field of sports. We'll see what happens! :)
While you were at Oxford, I know you were a soccer player. Tell me a little more about what you were involved in on campus. I was a member of the Business Club and was elected Vice President my sophomore year. I also continued fundraising for breast cancer research and worked extremely hard on gaining the support of athletic teams and the entire student body. With the help of Emory’s Athletic Department, I started the “Think Pink” initiative on campus. I was in charge of coordinating and planning the numerous fundraising events we held on campus, including breast cancer merchandise sales and a “Pink Tie Affair.”
Did Oxford play a role in cultivating or contributing to your interest in helping others? If so, how? If not, where did this interest start? My interest started in highschool but Oxford undoubtedly played a role in cultivating my desire to help others. The support I gained from the student body and the staff members was critical and inspiring. Oxford’s small size and the way in which everyone is so close and supportive of one another allows it to help nurture and grow a common cause in a way that I think is very rare among universities. The success of the fundraisers at Oxford transferred over to main campus where I continued to receive immense support from the Oxford community which helped take raising money for breast cancer research to a level I never thought possible.
