Kick4Life in health education campaign

By Sunday Express On Oct 5, 2016

Kick4Life exco member Baba Malephane (left) Masoabi Nkoto (midle) and team coach Leslie Notsi during the player unveiling on Thursday

Moorosi Tsiane

VODACOM Premier League (VPL) pacesetters, Kick4Life, are conducting health education and life skills sessions focused on HIV prevention and stemming stigma in schools around Maseru.

The campaign, which is meant to use football for social change, was launched on 26 September this year.

According to Kick4Life director of football Chris Bullock the initiative was being carried out by Kick4Life’s senior men and women’s teams and started off at Hoohlo Primary School. He said they intended to visit as many schools as they could around the capital city.

“Kick4Life’s senior men and women’s teams visited Hlooho Primary School as part of the ongoing commitment to use football for social change,” said Bullock.

“The players engaged in health education and life-skills activities with the students. We are focusing on HIV prevention, fighting stigma and discrimination related to the pandemic as well as donating footballs to the schools.

“We are going to try and get to as many schools as possible in the Maseru area. Perhaps in the future we will be able to get to a few outside of Maseru.”

The Old Europa-based outfit have notched up four consecutive wins in the 14-team league with their last victory a 1-0 triumph over Bantu FC in a top-of-the-table clash. The victories propelled the Leslie Notsi-coached side to the top of the log with 12 points, while the second-placed LMPS is two points behind.

However, Bullock emphasized Kick4Life’s imperious form was not the reason they were giving back to the community.

“I have been working with the community project leaders for about a year now to get it up and running. So it has nothing to do with the team’s good start to the season,” he said.

“It is all about our status as a premier league team and the players being role models.”

Bullock added: “As Kick4life, we have a mission to change lives using football and it’s an important component of our operations. Our players have been trained in delivering a health education and life skills curriculum to schools and the community. We also hand out footballs and tickets for Kick4Life games.”

Meanwhile, Kick4Life have signed Lesotho international and former Lioli hitman Nkoto Masoabi on a two-year deal. The striker was unveiled on Thursday after protracted negotiations with his previous employers.

Bullock said Masoabi will give the coach more attacking options as they were aiming for a good run this season.

“It is always good to have strength and depth in the team. Our biggest challenge last season was the few goals we scored. Hopefully, Masoabi’s coming on board will be an answer to that problem. It will also push our other forwards to work harder,” he added.