South Africa

WhizzKids United currently operates in three South African provinces: KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape and North West Province.

KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) has South Africa's highest HIV prevalence rate (and one of the world's highest) at an estimated 15.6% (South African National Prevalence, Incidence, Behaviour and Communication Survey, 2008). The prevalence at ante-natal clinics in KZN is estimated at 37.4%, and includes the three hardest-hit municipalities in the nation - eThekwini, iLembe and uMgungundlovu - all of which have an ante-natal prevalence over 40% (Department of Health National HIV Prevalence Survey, 2007). These are the three municipalities where WhizzKids United is most active!

Africaid's head office is in Durban, KZN and we have a Health Academy in Edendale, KZN and a Youth Centre in Lamontville, KZN.

Ghana

Africaid has a Youth Sports Centre and HIV Clinic in Ghana's Northern Province which it operates in partnership with Planned Parenthood Ghana. The WhizzKids United Life Skills programme runs in the Jisonayili, Gurugu and Kumbugu areas. Parents, school headmasters and local chiefs and elders are enthusiastic about the programme, noting the improvement it has brought to youth behaviour and academic performance.

Uganda

WhizzKids United operates in Bombo, Uganda, north of Kampala. Africaid has trained 20 staff from AMREF, a large multinational NPO, to teach the Life Skills programme there. The local football team has been renamed Bombo WhizzKids United and players wear messages of HIV prevention on their shirts.

Australia

Africaid has begun running an adapted version of WKU Life Skills (with a focus on alcoholism instead of HIV/AIDS) with Aboriginal kids in Taree, a community north of Sydney, Australia. The project has been headed by Jessica Russell (who previously volunteered with Africaid in South Africa) and over 18 other volunteers. Over 30 kids came through the programme in the initial pilot day and plans for expansion are already underway.

United Kingdom

Through our partnership with Abbott Laboratories, an adapted version of Life Skills Football Training has now begun at schools in England. The programme there is called WhizzKids United FC, and has a separate website which you can view at www.whizzkidunitedfc.org. Karl Hankinson, who previously was involved in setting up WhizzKids United in Ghana and Uganda, is now the U.K. Project Manager.