Not just a game, using football to bring HIV-affected kids to mainstream

Mr Joseph has been instrumental in not only giving these young footballers a chance to compete in the children’s Olympics, but also in showcasing the IT City as a hub of sports on par with other

great sporting cities.

The BSSF is working to remove the stigma and discrimination against HIV-affected children by bringing them to sports. BSSF is a sports NGO founded with an objective of reaching out to both children and youngsters who come from the most economically backward sections of society. The foundation empowers them with the idea that they too have the right to play sports. The NGO aims to professionalise sports at the grassroots level.

“I believe that as responsible individuals and citizen, we should be concerned towards developing a positive sporting culture in the country. By promoting sports, we are promoting a healthy lifestyle, which is the need of the hour. We can achieve that aim by grooming and moulding the young minds,” said Mr Joseph, who recently took a team of 12 children including two HIV-positives to the 49th International Children’s Games.

Mr Joseph, who started BSSF in 2009 with 20 HIV-affected children, is now mentoring over 1,800 HIV-affected children from across the state. He said, “It is a big positive story even for others, who have been deprived of opportunities. It is just the beginning. The children we train don’t anymore feel that they are inferior to anyone else.”

On bringing children with HIV into the mainstream, Mr Joseph said, “The idea is to help such children get into sports and also find them sponsors. We can remove many barriers with children’s participation in sports.”

The UNAIDS has recognised his efforts and commended that BSSF is the only organisation in the world to have such a model to bring HIV affected into the mainstream of society.

He recently helped two HIV-positive children to participate in the international children's Olympics. He worked hard to find sponsors for Manik (14) and Babu (15) from Sneha Care Home and ensured that they took part in the Children’s Olympics, which had child athletes from 60 countries participating.

The Foundation’s project, ‘Red Ribbon Revolution – Champion in me’, has grown from strength to strength and has united HIV-positive children. “Solving HIV/AIDS will only happen if the future generation and systems are strengthened with adequate knowledge and awareness programs,” Mr Joseph said.