A team from the Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF) Just Play department successfully held two COVID-19 Awareness festivals in the Western province over the weekend at JF Kennedy Stadium in Gizo.
A team of three coordinators held two separate festivals on Friday and Saturday for children range from age 6-12 on the first day and 13-16-year-old to wrap up a weeklong tour to Western province.
More than 200 girls and boys from schools and communities in the central region of Western province took part in the festivals.
The theme of the festivals is ‘WASH’ which based on the key messages of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene. Participants were thought on the eight steps of handwashing to avoid the spread of COVID-19 and other diseases.
School teachers and few community youth leaders were trained to become volunteers for the two festivals.
Gizo Just Play coordinator, Frank Kiko Hong acknowledges Just Play for a very informative programme and vowed to continue a similar event for the children in the coming weeks.
“I want to thank the just play team for coming and delivering these festivals which I believe will help our children to understand the importance of handwashing and living in a clean environment in our homes and schools,” he said.
“Most of our children are into football and I think this lifestyle practice is important for their social responsibility to look after themselves to become good sportsmen and women for our province in the future.
“I assured the children that we will continue to organize events like this in the future to help them become WASH champions.”
Just Play will continue with the COVID-19 awareness festival next month in Malaita province at Afio (South), Auki (Central) and Foia (North) and Choiseul province in Taro.
The festivals are made possible with the support of Just Play donors and partners like Australian Government under the Australian aid program, Football Federation Australia (FFA), UNICEF, UEFA Foundation for children, New Zealand Government, OFC and SIFF.
Just Play would also like to acknowledge the Ministry of Health for supplying COVID-19 posters and pamphlets.
