CASL was formed in the year 2000 with a mission of integrating social and economic values through sports by creating a pro-active health environment. CASL operates in a location, which is characterized by the middle and low class. The youth in the location (East lands-Nairobi) faces a myriad of challenges, which include DrugAbuse, Unemployment, and HIV/AIDS. Through CASL the youth are able to participate in various activities, which include peer education, Trainings and sports activities. These consequently would prevent them from engaging in deviance behaviors, which would make them vulnerable to HIV infection. In 2004 CASL trainers and peer educators received training from Grassrootsoccer
(GRS) www.grassrootsoccer.org to deliver an HIV/AIDS prevention curriculum. CASL trainers completed a 3-day training of trainers course and received certificates that empowered them to teach others using the curriculum. GRS curriculum is a series of activities that allow youth to explore issues relating to HIV/AIDS and gain the skills necessary to lead healthy lives. These skills include critical thinking, communication, self-esteem, and decision making, among others. GRS requires active participation and creates a safe ”team-based” environment in which participants can comfortably share their feelings, beliefs, and ideas about HIV/AIDS.

Since receiving their training CASL Members have delivered this interactive curriculum to 2,500 students in various schools and community centres. The program is still on going and CASL hopes to secure more funding to reach out to thousands and thousands of students.

Here are some little Impressions. In the last two weeks several lessons has been taken Place in Eastleigh and Kenjiago (Nairobi). The children came together to play football and to discuss about the problems concerning HIV and AIDS.  Apart from the discussions the Young boys and girl asked a lot of questions.

Peer Educator is talking, Kids are listening

The project manager educates the kids about risky behavior concerning HIV and AIDS

My Name is Tobi and I am doing an internship at CASL for about 8 weeks to get a better insight in the way how sport can be used as a tool for development.

I was very excited to join the Grass Roots Soccer Curriculum on Tuesday 14^th of August. After they played a little soccer on the pitch at Bahati Primary School, the Children, all between 10 an 16 years old, came together to calm down a bit and listen to the things the peer educators tried to explain to them. Sometimes it was not that easy for me to understand what they are talking about, because the peers used their mother tongue Swahili. They use this native language because the kids feel most comfortable when they use their language and this is very important because sex, AIDS and HIV are very sensible issues especially for children in the puberty.

They played a game, which showed them that it is not easy or almost impossible to see if someone is infected with HIV or AIDS. After playing this simple game, the children sat together in small groups and discussed the problems of having sexual relationships and the impossibility to recognize who is has HIV and AIDS.

Two things have been astonishing to me. The first thing was that the children dealt so serious with a subject which is that sensible for them. I think children in Germany would be much more shy and silly. According to this it was also frightening getting to know that every of those Kids had already lost one or even more relatives, neighbors or friends. So I realized that HIV and AIDS is really a topic in the middle of the society. 

Second it was nice to see that the idea of using players from the senior team as peer educators is working that good. The children are looking up to them because they are good players. They see them as some kind of role models. So the things the peer educators teach them have more weight and the students trust them. 

Hello, this blog is born. Only one more small step on our way to change something. We will try to provide with exciting stories, news and interesting reports concerning the Capital Area Soccer League