Youth Empowerment and Development Initiative (YEDI), a Non-governmental Organisation (NGO), with support from FIFA Foundation, has conducted a one-week free holiday camp in Zuba, Abuja to educate adolescent girls on HIV prevention, sexuality and life skills acquisition.
Tagged, ‘SKILLZ Holiday Camp’, the used sensitive curricula that combine soccer metaphors, Fairplay soccer and experimental activities with high impact health information that equip adolescents with knowledge and skills to challenge stereotypes, cultural barriers, gender misconceptions and risky behaviors that hinder their successful transition into productive and healthy adults.
The camp which was conducted at LEA Primary School, Zuba, admitted over 120 adolescent girls aged 13-19, who were engaged with a girls-only curriculum called SKILLZ Girl project.
“The FIFA Foundation-supported SKILLZ Girl project which started in 2017 is an adolescent health project for girls between ages 13 and 19 that centers on HIV prevention, sexuality and life skills. It supports young women and girls participating in the project to better protect themselves from HIV/AIDS and make self-determined life decisions, using football metaphors, languages, fair-play soccer and peer-led structured intervention,” said Victor Nzenwa-Orji, YEDI’s Regional Coordinator (Northern Region).
“This is the first time a 5-day camp approach is organised in Abuja and this is the first phase. The second phase will commence on the 13th-17th in L.E.A primary school Dutse-Alhaji and would be for both boys and girls, while the last phase will follow immediately and would be an all-boys camp,” he added.
YEDI’s Communication Officer Lucky Ihanza said the camp, which has been conducted in Lagos, Abuja, Ogun and Akwa Ibom states, will soon be conducted in Kano and Kaduna as part of efforts to reach teenagers in the country.
