Sport Heroes Walk Against HIV/AIDS

Thousands and thousands of South Africans, Africans, and indeed world citizen are dying every day due to HIV/AIDS. This is not because there is nothing that can be done to prevent the deaths, it is because, there is not enough information being disseminated to people, especially in Africa, information that empowers them to be able to fight the stigma associated with HIV and AIDS, to be able to go and get tested to save your life and those that you care about.2010 had a pivotal role to play in using sport as a tool to change people’s lives. With the whole world looking at South Africa to lead the fight against HIV and AIDS, we need to take serious steps as sport community to help people:

• To be able to know what to do when you have contracted the Virus,
• To be able to know where to go when you have contracted the Virus,
• To be able to ask questions relating to the kind of treatment that a medical officer is offering you,
• To know that there is more than a thousand  kind of treatments available to you,
• To be able to help in the fight against the spread of HIV/AIDS,
• To help eradicate the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS,

• To be able to make an informed choice when deciding about your treatment,
• To be able to use sport as a tool to change people’s lives,
• To be able to lead a productive and constructive life living with HIV.

The above can only be achieved through information, information, and information. This means that going out there educating the community about the above, through activities that will make it conducive to obtain the above objectives. While the rest of our communities are starting to realize what needs to be done, sport people are part of these communities and therefore need to play a vital role in the fight against HIV and AIDS, because they are also infected as well as affected. Fighting the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS is crucial to this project and we are using sport to do that, and to change people’s lives. Sport Heroes Walk Against AIDS is a sport vehicle in the country, which allows the sporting community, federations, administrators, clubs and individuals to unite together in the fight against the spread of HIV/AIDS. We are asking for your support to make the above objectives a reality. There is more to South Africa than HIV/AIDS, and we need to eradicate the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS and stop the spread of HIV/AIDS and allow the true South African possibilities to shine. Our communities need not die through HIV/AIDS related diseases, in this day and age.  Each one of us needs to stand up and be counted in the fight of our life time.

• Who will play in our soccer, rugby, and cricket etc. clubs 10 years from now?
• Who will be in our National Teams, 10 years from now?
• Who will be in charge of our sport administration 10 years from now?
• Who will bring us medals in big competitions like the Zone 6 Games, The All Africa Games, World Championships Games, Commonwealth Games and the pinnacle of them all, the Olympics Games 15 years from now, if we don’t start doing the work now, so that those who are not infected stay that way, and those who are infected lead productive lives.

Here is something to think about, as you attempt to answer my questions:

• 45% of all new infections occur among 15-24 year olds, your average soccer participant,
• there are 14,000 new infections every day (95 percent in developing countries)
• HIV/AIDS is a “disease of young people” with half of the 5 million new infections each year occurring among people ages 15 to 24.

About The Organization/Project Sport Heroes Walk Against AIDS

Sport Heroes Walk Against AIDS is a nonprofit organization that was formed in 2002 as a means to use sport as a tool to change people’s lives. The project has been adopted by SANAC, as its flagship program in the Sport & Entertainment Sector. The pressing pandemic to our society is the spread of HIV/AIDS, and the challenge is eradicating the stigma associated with the disease, and disseminated much needed information as tools for life. We are using sport to fight this spread and the stigma.

The project is about Sporting people getting involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS, recognizing the fact that everybody in South Africa, whether engaged in sport or not is affected by HIV/AIDS, also recognizing the fact that sport has the power to change societies and attitudes. We walk to all the nine province of the Republic with sporting personalities, where in all the communities we stop, we identify needy AIDS hospices or homes with the help of local government and capacitate them with the necessary tools and equipment to fight the epidemic and the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS. We also donate sporting equipment to these communities through our partnership with the National Department of Sports and Recreation. Understanding the power of sport to change communities and attitudes, on all our stops we mobilize and encourage the youth to engage in sports by holding sporting clinics, of different sporting codes by the Walk Heroes, as well as local sport heroes of that particular town. During these sporting activities, mobile testing units are at hand to test those who are willing and volunteering to be tested, and give them tools to be able to deal with the test results whether they are positive or negative. In this environment, the stigma is eradicated. We also have discussions / motivational talks with the different communities in the community halls, to make sure that more information is given to those who could not attend the sport clinics. We very much believe in the philosophy of teaching a man to fish, rather than giving him the fish.

Up to date a total of R7million has been raised by this project since its conception in 2002. These funds have made, and will continue to make a lot of people’s lives in the Western Cape, KZN, Free State, Mpumalanga, the North West Province, Eastern Cape Province, and the Northern Cape Province, Polokwane Province and in 2010 Gauteng Province bearable. In 2011 we started another 9 year cycle where we went back to KZN, and this year 2012, we will be commemorating Zithulele Sinqe’s life by walking to the Eastern Cape Province where he was born. Most importantly, the project has used sport to highlight much needed education regarding HIV and AIDS.

The Uniqueness of the Project

What makes the project so unique from other AIDS projects, is that, we are using sport as a means to change society, and the fact that this is a nine year project which will go to all South Africa’s 9 Provinces, to ensure sustainability of the project and the assistance that we give to the homes. Most importantly also, is the fact that the homes that benefit from the funds that are raised, are not given money in the form of cash, we purchase the tools that they need to be able to do their work in their respective communities, at the same time ensuring that there is accountability of the management of funds donated. The funds are raised throughout the year from corporate South Africa and Sport South Africa, and are given out to the homes during the walk. We always urge our donors to adopt a home, to make sure that there will be aftercare. We have been very fortunate to have Super Sport as the Media Partner that has pledged its support to this Aids Awareness and Fundraising campaign, by creating ample opportunity for media coverage via television as well as SABC to provide coverage on radio  stations, to all those involved.

A case for your support

The above task is a mammoth one that cannot be achieved by an individual, but by partnering with various stakeholders. Sports Heroes Walk Against AIDS promotes the development of sport in different rural communities, in remote areas, and using sport as a tool to achieve this in South Africa. It uses sport as a tool to change people’s lives. The project has all the ingredients to help the various communities that we interact with stand on their own through sport. It also has a platform to spread the work that is being done, through the media coverage we have been able to secure and generate.

Please do not hesitate to give me a call, should you require more information.

Yours Sincerely

Cynthia Tshaka
Sport Heroes Walk Against AIDS
Mobile: 083 260 3336
ctshaka@zonkeeandp.co.za