PASS THE BALL, NOT THE VIRUS!
Make a difference in Swaziland – Combine rugby coaching and AIDS education with this fantastic charity and develop key career skills too!
Coaching rugby to the kids
Rachel Middleton assisting Swazi coach Wilson Dlamini
WHAT DOES THIS CHARITY DO?
The charity, SKRUM, aims to provide AIDS education with rugby coaching to communities in Swaziland, and has recently started making presentations on AIDS to schools.
Over the last 5 years, they have introduced their rugby and AIDS education programmes into 500 of the 800+ schools in Swaziland, but Headmasters and teachers felt that only the children who opted in for the rugby coaching were getting the full benefit of the AIDS education programme and the phamplets which the charity were handing out.
So now SKRUM have changed their model. They visit a school every morning and Wilson, the talented young Swazi coach, makes a presentation to the whole school by showing them a dvd, which is a novelty in itself since many of the children will have never seen television.
The dvd spells out the facts about AIDS:
– 42% of the population in Swaziland has AIDS or are HIV positive
– the average age expectancy is 32 years (so the boy or girl standing next to them may die by the time they are 32)
– Circumsizing will not protect them from AIDS, as the media campaign in Swaziland suggests
– There is an alarming number of AIDS orphans in Swaziland
-They must use a condom if they are going to have sex and need to think very seriously about how they can look after themselves for the future
BUT HOW CAN YOU HELP AS A VOLUNTEER?
You can help the team make and deliver these presentations to the schools and after answer any questions the children have. But there are also many other parts of this volunteer opportunity. You could help by driving one of the cars, painting the charity’s logo on the outside of the schools, helping with the rugby coaching (and do your Level 1 coaching certificate whilst there), helping with the endless admin that needs doing – booking schools, organizing tournaments, making presentations to local businesses and government organizations…..the list is endless.
And while you are there, you can see this beautiful country which has much to offer!
For more info, contact us at http://www.volunteervacations.co.uk on 01483 331551 or 01483 203405 or 07833 208 158 or send us an email with your questions at info@volunteervacations.co.uk
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