Online Reporter
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, [email protected]
FOR years, teenage boys and young men in Sihayi Village, Matobo District, spent most of their days loitering at the local business centre, where alcohol and drugs were easily accessible. Today, many of them can be found on a dusty football pitch or rehearsing music, choosing purpose over peril.
A group of youths from the village has formed Matshatsha Football Club, alongside a musical band and an Internal Savings and Lending (ISAL) Club, in a grassroots effort to curb drug and substance abuse, promote responsible behaviour and create economic opportunities.
The football club was formed a year ago, while the musical band is three months old. Membership ranges from 14 to 30 years, drawing in teenage boys and young men who were previously at risk of engaging in harmful activities.
Beyond sport and music, the youths undergo HIV and health-related education through the National Aids Council (NAC)-led behaviour change mentorship programme, which uses football as an entry point to engage young men on critical life issues.
Club captain Mawanda Ncube (26) said the initiative was born out of concern for the future of youths in the village.
“Our goal was to remove teenage boys and youths from the shops, where they were spending most of their time drinking and taking drugs. We deliberately chose a football ground far from the business centre so that our members remain focused and undistracted,” he said.
Ncube said combining sport with mentorship had helped members navigate the temptations that come with youth, particularly for footballers and artists.
“As football players and musicians, we face many temptations. The HIV education we receive helps us make responsible decisions to protect ourselves and our loved ones. As a group, we support and advise each other so that no one loses focus,” he said.
The youths regularly participate in tournaments with teams from neighbouring villages. Funds raised through their ISAL club help cover transport costs, while income from performances by the musical band supports members’ personal projects.
For Thamsanqa Ndlovu (18), the programme has already translated into tangible economic benefits. Using money saved through the ISAL club, he started a small chicken-rearing project.
“I managed to buy 10 birds and I plan to expand,” he said, describing the project as a step towards financial independence.
Another member, Mduduzi Nkomo (21), said the mentorship programme had transformed how he views health and life choices.
“I now understand diseases that affect men, how they can be prevented and treated. The choices I make don’t affect me alone, they also affect my family,” he said.
Nkomo said attitudes around risky sexual behaviour had shifted significantly among the youths.
“We used to think having multiple partners was fashionable, but now we know that a wise man is faithful to one partner. I was once embarrassed about HIV testing, but now I understand that knowing your status is the best decision,” he said.
Nomsa Sibanda, a behaviour change mentor in Sihayi Village, said she currently mentors 20 young men, some married and others in relationships.
“Men play a critical role in HIV prevention. Using football has helped keep these young men productive while creating a safe space for peer mentorship,” she said.
Sibanda said many of the youths previously lingered at the business centre, where drug abuse was rampant.
“This initiative has brought visible change. Most of them are now focused and some have even started income-generating projects,” she said.
The behaviour change community motivators’ programme, which targets adolescent and teenage boys, aims to promote responsible behaviour as part of national HIV prevention strategies. It focuses on males aged 15 to 25 years, a group considered key in reducing new HIV infections, teenage pregnancies and harmful social practices.
Matobo District Aids coordinator, Lawrence Dube, said engaging young men early was critical in shaping long-term behaviour.
“As Nac, we are implementing the behaviour change community motivators programme as part of our interventions.
“Behaviour change training takes long and hence the need for the youngsters to be educated so that they can carry this lifestyle onwards up to when they are elderly men,” he said.
Dube said involving males was crucial in addressing challenges such as teenage pregnancies, early child marriages, child exploitation and HIV transmission.
