While the rest of the world observes World AIDS Day on December 1, one of Indonesia's most vulnerable populations, street children, will be playing soccer-- and learning more about HIV/AIDS as they score.

A collaboration of Church World Service (CWS) Indonesia, the Indonesian Ministry of Health and the Global Fund, SCORE -- SOCCER 4 CHILDREN ON ROAD 2 EMPOWERMENT - is a program for street children, designed to increase their knowledge of HIV & AIDS, using the ubiquitous game as an entry point.

CWS Jakarta will hold an AIDS Day soccer tournament [Fri Dec 1] with children from the SCORE program, as a final event after a series of soccer matches.

The CWS SCORE tournament is just one of a series of AIDS Day awareness events aimed at children and women that the agency is planning, with art competitions, information sessions and memorial ceremonies also on tap.

The World Health Organization warned yesterday (Tues Nov 28) that AIDS is "not under control" in the island nation, according to a report from the Associated Press. There are currently an estimated 100,000 - 290,000 people living with HIV, and the Indonesian government is predicting that up to a million people may be infected by 2010.*

Church World Service has been a lead agency in promoting HIV/AIDS awareness across Indonesia since that country's earliest attention to the spread of the virus.

Maurice Bloem, CWS Indonesia Director, believes in addressing the situation where it is found and where it can spread: among youth and high-risk populations.

"The Global Fund, Indonesian Ministry of Health and CWS are focusing on mobilizing, educating and empowering this particularly vulnerable population-- street children and their communities-- to enable them to protect themselves from HIV/AIDS," says Bloem.

Bloem says the SCORE program, utilized by Indonesia for the past few years , uses a five-pronged strategy set around soccer tournaments, soccer clinics and practice sessions, "Kick Away HIV/AIDS" seeks to increase children's knowledge on HIV/AIDS and improve their skills and resources to protect themselves.

The second, "Don't SCORE on Drugs!" aims to increase children's knowledge about the adverse impact of substance abuse and improve their skills to cope with peer and social pressure.

"SCORE in Life" aims to increase children's opportunities to improve their livelihoods.

And 'SCORE House' provides a safe place with caring adults for children to express individual interests, to socialize, and to receive attention and some resources that will reduce their vulnerabilities to HIV/AIDS.

Media Widely Used

CWS's Bloem says the non-governmental agency (NGO) is also focusing on eradicating AIDS discrimination and building compassion among the public, its own staff members, partners and their families-- using billboard displays and the distribution of red ribbon pins, to encourage people to identify with those living with AIDS.

On Bali, on AIDS Day, in partnership with the local NGO Yayasan Anugrah Mandiri, groups will hand out 1500 pamphlets and red roses along Kuta Beach, where many local service workers on the beach become vulnerable to HIV infection through their work providing manicures, pedicures and massage.

The CWS Central Sulawesi office is leading a two-week p ublicity campaign featuring radio public service announcements and a banner display at three points in the city. Church World Service, the Women's National Commission and a local health department will also host a Sulawesi radio talk show on HIV/AIDS.

Participation of Students, Partners, Local Government and UN

Church World Service's Banda Aceh office will collaborate with the regional United Nations office in a ceremony inaugurated by the governor of Aceh in Lapangan Blang Padang Aceh.

Church World Service Indonesia is working with local partners across several communities in collaborative AIDS Day events. At CWS's Soe Office, the agency and the local government are funding a local partner to conduct a contest for students who will share their knowledge of HIV and AIDS in front of an audience, with winners to be part of a talk show on the local television station.

A youth group from Jogotirto - an area where the agency also has a shelter project - will participate in an information session on HIV/AIDS. The session is designed to be interactive with the community, led as an "outbound activity" by CWS staffers, with a similar session in Wukirsari.

CWS and a local partner, and local government representatives are collaborating to present AIDS awareness information to high school students from nine schools in Sulawesi .

And in Timor Leste, working with People Living With AIDS, CWS will hold a variety of workshops for youth and faith-based organizations, including: university students; Catholic youth together with CARITAS; Youth of the Assembly of God; and finally, a worship service organized together with CARITAS. Timor Leste's Ministry of Health is providing technical and financial assistance for the collaborative World AIDS Day events.

Third AIDS National Conference in Surabaya

As co-sponsor of a national conference in February 2007, CWS Indonesia will host with the World Food Program workshops on HIV and Nutrition; workshops on the SCORE youth soccer program; Internet advocacy; and interfaith work.

The agency will also soon launch the Asia and Pacific HIV/AIDS Website Guide, in its third edition, published in Indonesian and in Urdu, in collaboration with other CWS Asia offices .

Church World Service Indonesia, still assisting in the country's post-tsunami recovery, has worked in Indonesia since the late 1960s. A relief, development, refugee assistance and human rights agency, CWS is at work in 80 countries worldwide and is supported in part by 35 member denominations.

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