Athletes United

Getting the HIV prevention message across through sport in Washington D.C.

photo story by: Louise Ashley

United

Athletes in Washington D.C take a break from their training session which teaches them how to get HIV prevention messages to school children through sport.

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Reaching Out

Youths are taught important prevention and stigma messages through games.

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Smiles

Athletes are respected hugely by young people in the U.S and Athletes United capitalises on this relationship by using them as peer educators.

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Group Hug

Team spirit is important in sports and this passion and enthusiasm shines through in the classes.

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Games

Interactive, physical lessons are the best way to learn.

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Work Out

Sport is increasingly becoming a good way to raise awareness and funding to causes. Tyler, the founder of Athletes United, has raised lots of money for various causes this way.

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Clued-up

School children are charged with passing on their knowledge to friends and family after completing the programme.

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Best class in school

Kids really enjoy the learning process - not only are they learning vital skills to improve their quality of life, but they get to be creative and energetic at the same time.

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Tyler

Tyler creates energy and camaraderie as well as important knowledge among his pupils.

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Athletes United

Washington D.C. has an alarmingly high rate of HIV infection. With 1 in 20 people in this district infected, Tyler Spencer and other athletes have taken an innovative stance to stem this shocking statistic. By using athletes as educators, school children learn vital knowledge from people they admire and respect. Supported by the Foundation since 2009, Athletes United has reached thousands of vulnerable youth, and its members continue to impress us with their boundless energy and enthusiasm.

Using Role Models as Peer Educators

Tyler Spencer, an American college athlete, saw first-hand the potential of sports as a vehicle for education while in South Africa in 2008.

Planning to return to the South African project after graduating, Tyler had a change of heart when he read an alarming statistic - the HIV rate in Washington D.C. is as high as in many African countries - a huge 1 in 20. Deciding to focus his knowledge and skills closer to home, Tyler formed Athletes United in January 2009.

Capitalising on the role-model status that athletes enjoy among American youth, Athletes United teaches cutting-edge interactive HIV prevention classes to 12 to 14 year olds. These at-risk youth, many of whom are from poor backgrounds, are given the knowledge, skills, and support needed to live HIV free - through fun and energetic teaching.

In order to extend this life-changing knowledge to others, all young graduates of the programme are charged with sharing what they have learned with family, friends and community members.

Since the Foundation began supporting Athletes United in June 2009, Tyler’s initiative has taught 1200 youth, trained 150 college athletes and high school students as knowledge coaches, and indirectly reached 6,000 individuals.

Athletes United has been well received by the American media, whose interest in which partly stems from Washington D.C’s shocking HIV infection rate (eleven times the national average).

Watch the video below, and click on the links to read news articles and find out more about this energetic initiative.

Read an article on George Washington University's website praising its athletes in their role in the fight against HIV here.

Read the George Washington Hatchet's report on one of the many Grassroots Project's graduation ceremonies here.