ALSA and Basketball Players at SOS World AIDS Day

Another Level Sports Associates-ALSA and League basketball players graced the 2006 SOS Children's Villages/ Youth Centre World AIDS Day Celebrations held at the SOS Centre in Buru Buru Nairobi. The event was part of the global initiative of sensitizing the general population on and about HIV/AIDS that is held every year on December 1st. The World AIDS Day 2006 bearing the theme “STOP AIDS-Keep the Promise-Accountability”  was celebrated at SOS through sports (Basketball and Football), edutainment, personal experiences (youth living with AIDS) and a candlelit memorial dinner with persons at high risk of contracting HIV/AIDS.
ALSA Members; Glenns Etyang, Marie Ramtu, Mildred Akure, Ferah Malala, Mickey Kaudia, Christine Opakasi, and Jerry Opecho, together with basketball players, namely Martin Okwako (Co-op Bank), Godfrey Abuya (Telkom/ Alumni), Simon Mugambi (Ulinzi), Bobby Okwako (Co-op Bank), and Ken Oliver Otieno (Ulinzi) participated at the event, including the awareness walk, basketball games, fun games and at the candlelit dinner in memory of those who have lost their lives to the AIDS scourge.

“Every day in our lives….we are either affected or infected with HIV/AIDS…… lets not wait for that one day in the year…World AIDS DAY….to show we care or we are scared of the killer disease that is HIV/AIDS!!!..... Let's get involved on a daily basis as we become accountable to our actions and come together to help the infected, counsel the affected, and most of all fight the disease…keeping in mind this year's theme….. STOP AIDS-KEEP THE PROMISE…ACCOUNTABILITY”

ALSA takes this opportunity to thank all the community groups and individuals who turned up for the event; Stay Alive, Provide International, ALSA Volunteers Program-AVP, Koch Community, Shauri Moyo Community, Kish and Band, Daddy-C, Anna, Anna, Judy, Mathilde and Pieta:-friends of SOS from Holland, K-South Community, Buru Buru Community and everyone else who showed up for the event. Special thanks to the league players who took their time to come and not only participate at the event, but also share their basketball skills with the youth; Martin Okwako (Co-op Bank), Godfrey Abuya (Telkom/ Alumni), Simon Mugambi (Ulinzi), Bobby Okwako (Co-op Bank), and Ken Oliver Otieno (Ulinzi), and lastly thanks to SOS Youth Centre and SOS Children's Villages for organizing and hosting the event.

“Young people are the key in the fight against HIV/Aids. By giving them the support they need, we can empower them to fight the virus. By creating effective campaigns for education and prevention, we can turn young people's enthusiasm, drive and dreams for the future into powerful tools for tackling the epidemic”

Koffi Annan,
Former UN Secretary General