FORMER BOXER ESTHER PHIRI, INSPIRES ATHLETES AND PUPILS

Former Zambian boxer, Esther Phiri, has urged athletes and pupils who thronged the OYDC Zambia – Sports Development Centre to refrain from vices that could lead them to contract HIV/AIDS.

Phiri, says she wants to see a number of young people who train from the OYDC Zambia, become professional athletes but emphasized on the need for them to be wary of HIV/AIDS which might hinder them to progress with their sports career if contracted.  

Phiri, was speaking during the Sports tournament on Monday, 2nd December, 2019 organized by the OYDC Zambia and supported by the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) as part of the World AIDS Day commemorations. The tournament saw hockey and football players battle it out respectively and top winners received sports kit from the US Embassy in Zambia, Dutch NOC and the International Olympic Committee.

Four football and eight hockey teams were invited for the tourney and in football OYDC Zambia FC emerged overall winners while Golden Peacock were runners up.  Meanwhile, in hockey D.E Stars for the girls were overall winners while Hotspurs emerged winners for the guys.

And OYDC Zambia – Sports Development Centre Chief Executive Officer Dr. Fredrick Chitangala, hailed Esther Phiri, for the motivation she rendered to athletes and pupils who came to the centre to be part of the commemorations. Dr. Chitangala reiterated that the HIV Prevention through Sport Project will run for 12 months and will actively involve activities in communities. The activities undertaken include Community Sports Outreach Programme, Champions Talk and One on One Sensitization focusing on prevention through HIV Testing and Counseling, Condoms, ARVs, PMTCT and VMMC.

OYDC Zambia recently launched the HIV Prevention through Sport project which is supported by PEPFAR to use sport as a tool to disseminate awareness messages on HIV.