Coaches' Aids game is a winner in Africa.Byline: Abby Alford SPORTS coaches who travelled to Africa to teach children and adults how to protect themselves from the HIV HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), either of two closely related retroviruses that invade T-helper lymphocytes and are responsible for AIDS. There are two types of HIV: HIV-1 and HIV-2. HIV-1 is responsible for the vast majority of AIDS in the United States. and Aids epidemic sweeping the continent have described the trip as "unbelievable" and "rewarding". The team taught a series of workshops and laid on educational games in the slums of Nairobi in Kenya and rural villages in Uganda. With around 15% of the adults there infected with HIV, the virus that leads to Aids, specialists from Cardiff-based SportStars teamed up with charity Act4Africa to provide help. Senior staff member Emrys Haugen, 24, said the 12-strong team who travelled to Nairobi had to stay in a compound with armed guards and were not allowed out at night for fear they would become victims of a car-jacking or robbery. "They did a lot of work with the children in the slums and the response was unbelievable. They were very appreciative that they had come to work with them," he said. "They also did a session with the Nairobi police." Mr Haugen said SportStars coaches would engage with the communities through games of football and netball netball Noun a team game, usually played by women, in which a ball has to be thrown through a net hanging from a ring at the top of a pole Noun 1. before holding workshops. "We did a workshop called attack and defence where volunteers would put on elephant masks and would have to protect the baby elephants to signify the body's immune system immune system Cells, cell products, organs, and structures of the body involved in the detection and destruction of foreign invaders, such as bacteria, viruses, and cancer cells. Immunity is based on the system's ability to launch a defense against such invaders. and then HIV would come and take them away to show how it leaves the body susceptible to diseases. "It didn't matter how old they were, they absolutely loved the games." He said the atmosphere was a lot more relaxed in Uganda where there were fewer safety concerns and they taught in schools that had up to 1,000 pupils. "One day that blew everyone's minds was when we went to an orphanage where 60% of the 65 children were HIV positive. "It was just staggering that it was the happiest place in the world where the kids were laughing and jumping around. "That was a telling day, but a nice day as well as it showed us there are people out there taking care of these children. "Overall, it was a hard three weeks for us, but working with the African kids was an unbelievable experience as they are just so energetic and enthusiastic." SportStars is a private sports coaching company, which works in schools across Wales and England and with after-school clubs. CAPTION(S): Coaches from South Wales South Wales south n → sud m du Pays de Galles SportsStars with youngsters at an orphanage in Jinja, Uganda This article refers to the city of Jinja. For the corresponding district, please see Jinja (district). Jinja is the second commercial centre in Uganda, Africa. It was established in 1907. Jinja lies in the south east of Uganda, 87 km north east of the capital, Kampala. |
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