Scottish players unite for children
Ryan Watson and Fraser Watts took time out ahead of their game against South Africa to visit a project at the Washington Archibald High School in St. Kitts as part of the ICC's partnership with UNAIDS, UNICEF and the Caribbean Broadcast Media Partnership
19-Mar-2007
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The players, who were also accompanied by their team manager Euan McIntyre, had the opportunity to meet young people who had designed their own communication materials aimed at reaching their peers with positive lifestyle messages.
Watson and Watts listened to these high schoolers, members of the non-profit group Young Leaders, as they spoke about their work over the past year with the UNICEF co-sponsored PANCAP/CARICOM Youth Ambassador Mini Grant Programme Our Voices-Our Future.
Representatives of the group also presented the players and the team manager with one example of their projects - copies of a comic book titled "Lizzie's Lesson" - which they have developed as a tool to fight stigma and discrimination of people affected by HIV. The book will soon be distributed in schools across St. Kitts and Nevis.
Ryan Watson, who was born in Zimbabwe, but grew up in South Africa, has witnessed the impact of HIV on those countries, and was quite impressed with what the teens had done.
"Growing up in Africa, I've seen what can happen if HIV is not stopped," he said. "What you have done here is fantastic."
Watson and Watts also took the opportunity to engage in a friendly "match" with the Young Leaders and passed on a few tips on the game they love to them.
Heather Stewart, UNICEF Child Protection Specialist and focal point for St. Kitts and Nevis indicated that she hoped this visit by the cricketers would be the beginning of a lasting partnership with cricket associations, in which the game can be used as a tool for positive development among Caribbean teens.
She also noted that the visits were important in showing the world the role that Caribbean youths were playing in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
"To have the youth of St. Kitts and Nevis so actively involved in the fight against HIV is what UNICEF strives for," said Ms. Stewart, who accompanied the cricketers on their visit. "The partnership between UNICEF and ICC, UNAIDS and the Caribbean Broadcast Media Partnership on HIV/AIDS in Unite for Children, Unite Against AIDS presents a wonderful opportunity for the world to see the extent of the impact of HIV and AIDS in the Caribbean on youth and their response to the pandemic."
Jermaine James, one of the Washington Archibald students, was certainly impacted by the visit. "The visit by the members of the Scottish team has really inspired us to reach above and beyond. With the World Cup in St. Kitts, the world is at our doorstep and we have a chance to help stop the spread of HIV among people our age."
Joining the students were also the two CARICOM Youth Ambassadors from St. Kitts and Nevis, Khalea Robinson and Jolanie Jones. Jones and Robinson led the Mini Grant programme that included the work of the Young Leaders group that was show-cased to the cricketers from the Scottish team.