15 year old Siphiwe Shabangu from Killarney, Soweto loves playing soccer and figures he is quite good at the game. So when his friend Sam Mngomezulu invited him to a camp where he could play football, Siphiwe could not resist. Believing he was only going to be playing soccer, he was pleasantly surprised when the Castrol Skillz Holiday Programme curriculum began teaching him about HIV/Aids in a way that was just as much fun as playing soccer.
The 2010 Castrol Skillz Holiday Programme consists of 45 camps that have been rolled out in seven provinces across the country. The camps are facilitated by Grassroot Soccer, an internationally based not-for profit organization that uses soccer to educate participants aged between 12 and 18, about HIV/Aids in a practical and interactive manner.
Before participating in the Rio Tinto supported Castrol Skillz Holiday Programme, 15 year old Siphiwe Shabangu had never talked about HIV/Aids with his parents. The youngest member of a family of nine, Siphiwe surprised his parents with the knowledge and insight he returned with from his very first day at the week long programme.
“I have already learnt so much about HIV from the camp and I even went home and told my family everything I am learning here. Before I went to the camp, we had never spoken about HIV/Aids as my family thought I was too young,” says Shabangu. Proving that he is growing up and has some important views, Siphiwe now knows how important it is to remove the stigma still attached to HIV/Aids. “It is still difficult for people in my community to say they are HIV positive because people treat them badly and this is very wrong,” says Shabangu. He also knows that some of his friends who are not at the camps still hold this view and are themselves engaging in unsafe practices especially during their holidays when they do not have much to occupy their time.
“With the extended school holiday happening over the World Cup young people are often exposed to potentially risky situations during their free time. This Holiday Programme will provide a safe learning environment for children. Based on the art of play, the camps are designed to be fun and entertaining while delivering important HIV/Aids prevention messages,” says Jean Chawapiwa, Rio Tinto’s vice president in charge of external affairs and communications in southern Africa.
For this outspoken 15 year old, his experience at the Castrol Skillz Holiday Programme will not end with the conclusion of the camp, he is determined to make healthy life choices and to continue equipping others with the same great skills and knowledge he has gained at the camp. “I really like the Castrol Skillz Holiday Programme and I can’t wait until I turn 16 because then I will be allowed to be a coach and I can make a real difference in the lives of other young people.”