Week 6: Grassroots Soccer Weekend

This weekend we headed out quite early again in order to make it to the school in De Doorns by 8am. This weekend we focused on Grassroots Soccer (GRS), a program they've been running in De Doorns for a while now. Its a program that teaches kids about HIV/AIDS and life skills through soccer. The GRS organization trains "coaches" to implement their program, and that way they can reach far and wide with their program. They've trained some of the members of our organization to be coaches, so last year they've been implementing this program to the kids in the area.
This week we presented certificates the kids who had passed the program at the end of last year. They had a short assembly/meeting before school, so we stood in front of the school and handed out the certificates. We also announced that we'd be starting the GRS program again.

As for our community organization, this weekend they were focusing on being re-trained to be GRS coaches. They had a 2 day training workshop, to tighten their skills and work on team building. Now, they're all ready to start implementing the program again! :)

Whilst the team members were in the training, Sergio (my project manager) and I worked in the garden. Its growing quite big and very green! Unfortunately its also growing loads of weeds.
So we spent the whole weekend weeding the garden, on hands and knees, in the hot sun!
But it was worth it! Take a look!

Before: WEEDS EVERYWHERE!

After: Weed free! You can actually see the rows! :)

Hard work is paying off!! :)

Its great to see the little plants grow, and now you can actually tell where we planted! :)

Over this week they'll work on transplanting the veggies, as some are too close together!

Can't wait to see the progress!

So it was a lovely weekend, and sadly next weekend we wont be going to De Doorns, as my manager will be in Lesotho [pronounced Le-sutu](cool country entirely surrounded by S.Africa!), so we'll see how the garden is progressing in 2 weeks time!

Lots of love!

Lo