By Emily Lockwood
Life Editor
While most students were settling into their new schedules, junior Michaela Loudermilk was graced with the opportunity to travel to Africa and meet with an organization that offered help to people living with HIV.
On Sept. 3, Loudermilk arrived in Cape Town, South Africa, with her family friend Linnea Roberts. Roberts is a member of the Global Advisory Council, who recently acquired Grassroots Soccer. Loudermilk spent five days in Cape Town with Roberts to learn and experience what the organization was about.
“I was so excited that I was able to go with her,” Loudermilk said. “This was such an amazing experience for me.”
Grassroots Soccer is an international organization that uses soccer to educate, mobilize and encourage communities to stop the spread of HIV. Soccer, as popular sport as it is, allows people to come together and bond while also sharing their experiences about HIV.
“I honestly think that it is the most ingenius form of an organization that I have ever seen,” Loudermilk said. “It covers a wide range of people, and it is something that helps everyone, no matter their age.”
Grassroots Soccer has a “Skillz” curriculum that focuses on teaching the youth about basic life skills, healthy living, and being risk-free. The organization teaches these ideas through group discussions and various types of interactive activities involving soccer games.
“It gives people a hands-on way to learn rather than just listening to a lecture,” Loudermilk said. “I got to watch them play one of the soccer activities. The kids get really involved and excited about participating in the activities.”
For one of her days, Loudermilk went to a Skillz Street meeting. These meetings are designed for adolescent girls to have a safe environment for learning about and participating in peer-led community activities. They get to play non-competitive soccer and learn about the prevention of HIV.
“It gives the girls a sense of self-confidence that they would not necessarily have had otherwise,” Loudermilk said. “Their self-confidence is very important in asserting themselves in life, and Skillz Street really does it for the girls that attend.”
People that attend and participate in Grassroots activities have the option to get a free HIV test, and most attendees take advantage of the opportunity. Those who test positive are able to have access to counseling through the Grassroots organization.
“These people really showed me that can you still have a full life while living with HIV,” Loudermilk said. “It was eye opening for me to see these people with that type of uplifting attitude and positive outlook on life.”
The coaches that are a part of the organization follow the Skillz Coaching Guide. It consists of eight 45-minute sessions, which Loudermilk was able to watch. In each session, the participants play soccer games and learn about living a full life with HIV.
“The staff is really passionate about this cause because most of them have been personally affected by it,” Loudermilk said. “I met this inspiring woman who has been working on HIV prevention projects for decades.”
Durng her stay, Loudermilk experienced what the Grassroots Soccer organizaion stands for. She hopes to take her experience with her and find her own path to help people around the world.
“I was inspired by what I saw over in Cape Town,” Loudermilk said. “Hopefully, I will be able to take the knowledge that I gained and motivate others to help also.”
Loudermilk saw one of the tournaments at the Grassroots facility. In addition, she toured the facility and met with the staff and talked about testing for HIV.
“I think it is really great that Michaela had the opportunity to experience something like that,” junior Katy Edson said.
Loudermilk had the opportunity to talk to Tommy Clark, the founder of the Grassroots Soccer organization, about an internship in the future at the organization. She hopes to be able to get further involved in joining the fight against the spread of HIV.
“A full life to me is one where I am able to enrich the lives of others,” Loudermilk said. “I have spent my whole life looking for a way where I can physically help people. The way you help people the most is by actually connecting with them.”
Leave a Reply