Showground Compound -- Monze Town

As December 1^st approaches, World AIDS day, we have been focusing many of our sessions and trainings on the HIV/AIDS concerns here in Monze, Zambia. Just yesterday we ran a powerful session on such topics for about 120 children in the Showground compound just outside Monze town. Showground is a rural area where livelihoods are made from cattle and tobacco farming, as evidenced by the hundreds of cow horns scattered throughout the paths and fields! The Showground compound used to hold weekly displays of cattle and locally­‑grown produce for farmers to buy or trade. Now, it is the home to the Tobacco College of Zambia and not much else. The youth of this compound do physically challenging labor and often have to miss school to assist with farming activities. One or two days a week, we provide fun, soccer drills that incorporate useful health or social information. We have been able to educate the children and coaches of this compound on many issues with our focus this week on HIV/AIDS. The reality of yesterday’s session was difficult for us as you will see but rewarding as well. As we have found out many times, children of too young an age are sexually active. Learning that 10 and 11 year olds were sexually experimenting was disheartening. However, giving them an environment to learn and ask questions provided me with hope for the years to come. Through our games we received many good questions. Working through their options, we allow them to reason and choose a path rather than merely following local traditions. Additionally, we received commitments from many of the children that they would seek testing by the time we next arrived. When we left Showground, we felt like a difference was made. And in holding up our side of the bargain, we made it to the clinic ourselves. “I know, do you?” now adorns our wrists on a bright yellow bracelet. Hopefully seeing this bracelet will continue to motivate the local children to stay informed and make choices.

Please wear red (like our local coaches seen here) on December 1^st to show support for World AIDS day. It is a difficult disease we as a world must defeat.

Christiano

PS - Happy Thanksgiving all!