This report describes the social aspects of the work of Africaid Whizzkids United (WKU), an NGO providing comprehensive HIV prevention, treatment, care and support services to adolescents in the township of Edendale in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The report’s emphasis on this group of Africaid’s clients was motivated by the relatively limited research available on this emerging population. Studying a very specific segment of Africaid’s clients also made sense given the limited time for the research.

A key feature of Africaid’s programs is that it uses football as a language and a medium to promote adolescents’ health through life skills training, peer education and a mixed-gender football league. It also provides youth-friendly services on sexual and reproductive health and HIV and AIDS. Africaid’s Whizzkids United Health Academy is located next to Edendale Hospital in Pietermaritzburg. This innovative, new, youth-friendly health facility is a lynchpin for Africaid’s activities. In August 2011 health professionals based at the Health Academy first started providing antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) to adolescent clients. By the end of February 2013, it was managing 558 adolescents using ARVs.