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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Breaking The Silence About AIDS in AfricaIn Nairobi, over 121,000 screaming soccer fans (one in every 8 a female), players, coaches, and policymakers helped to break the silence about AIDS at a series of recent soccer games in the Kenyan capital organized with help from the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs (JHU/CCP). Once only mentioned in whispers talk about AIDS is now becoming common. On November 6th, Kenya beat Uganda two goals to one in the final of the Confederation of East and Central African Football Associations (CECAFA) Youth Championship soccer tournament in the pouring rain at Nairobi City Stadium. But the real winners were the millions of young people who learned about AIDS during the 6-nation, two-week long tournament. Chants of "Ukimwi," the heretofore unspoken Swahili word for "AIDS," were heard throughout the stadium and in the streets of Nairobi. The rarely mentioned condom became commonplace as trained counselors handed out 120,000 of them—the best prevention against acquiring AIDS during sex. Throughout the games fans observed 1-minute silences for AIDS. Health officials circulated 45,000 posters, 125,000 reproductive health calendars, 10,000 soccer tickets with AIDS messages, and 170,000 information brochures, and they posted 15 giant banners in and around the stadium. AIDS counselors from participating local groups also operated telephone hotlines in Nairobi. The high volume of calls from pay phones temporarily jammed the lines. As World AIDS Day approaches and AIDS deaths continue to rise—over 2.6 million so far in 1999 with another 5.6 million adults and children worldwide becoming infected—Africa has become a focal point for AIDS prevention efforts . "We have to reach youth and involve them in AIDS prevention," says Dr. David Awasum, Senior Program Officer at JHU/CCP. "What better way to do that than at a major sporting event with messages that appeal to young people?" "Break the Silence: Let's Talk About AIDS" was the campaign slogan that sparked conversations about AIDS prevention before, during, and after the tournament. Teams from Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, and Eritrea competed. Some 140 players under age 20, 20 referees and team managers, and 15 CECAFA board officials were involved in the 15 matches highlighting AIDS prevention activities. A dozen TV and radio interviews, 34 articles in local newspapers, and international press coverage helped publicize the campaign, part of a series of events in the Caring Understanding Partners (CUP) Initiative, organized by JHU/CCP throughout Africa. CUP activities are designed to involve more men and youth in reproductive health through sports. JHU/CCP has worked with the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and the Confederation Africaine de Football (CAF). Other CUP partners include: Kenya Football Federation (KFF), and The Association of Sports Journalists for Health/East-Central Africa. The Kenyan National AIDS Control Program (NASCOP) is a national contributor. International sponsors include Department for International Development (DFID), Joint United Nations Programme on HIV\AIDS (UNAIDS), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), World Health Organization (WHO), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the World Bank, and a host of corporate sponsors. Reaching and involving men in reproductive health through soccer was endorsed at two regional conferences, held in Harare in 1997 and in Ouagadougou in 1998. For more information contact Dr. David Awasum at Johns Hopkins University, Center for Communication Programs, 111 Market Place, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, USA. Fax: 410 659-6266; E-mail: dawasum@jhuccp.org. Tel: 410 659-6381; Web site: http://www.jhuccp.org. |
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