Swaziland Kids Rugby Mission

The Swaziland Kids Rugby Mission (SKRUM) was founded by Michael Collinson from Yorkshire in 2008 as a nonprofit organization that uses the game of rugby to engage children and teach them about sex awareness and education to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS.[1] Michael Collinson, a former rugby player and coach, was paralyzed in a car accident in 2002. After battling years of depression, he realized just how much HIV/AIDS was affecting the local population and founded SKRUM to use rugby as a teaching tool against HIV/AIDS.[2] Since its founding, SKRUM has visited 650 of the 817 schools in Eswatini and it reaches 12,000 youth each year through school and community outreach efforts.[2] SKRUM’s moto is “Pass the Ball Not the Virus.” [3][4]

SKRUM official website

References

  1. ^ "Fundraiser for Swaziland rugby project launched at Crumlin school". South Wales Argus. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  2. ^ a b Lewis, Aimee. "How becoming paraplegic helped an Englishman tackle HIV in Swaziland through rugby". CNN. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  3. ^ "Coach swaps Sheffield for Swaziland". The Star. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  4. ^ "Appeal brings joy of sport to young in Africa". Okehampton Times. Archived from the original on 8 August 2021. Retrieved 27 June 2018.