December 1st, World AIDS day is an annual chance to reflect and showcase the work that goes into fighting this terrible disease and focus on how we can do more.

As this years theme is 'Focus, Partner, Achieve: An AIDS-free Generation,’ we want to reflect on the partnerships we have built in order to help achieve an AIDS-free generation.

As any cricketer will know, partnerships are key in the game of cricket. Whether it be two batsmen battling out together, two opening bowlers steaming in or a magical spinner and wicketkeeper combination, its absolutely crucial to build these partnerships in order to succeed. At CWB we use this element of the game to spread the ‘Be faithful’ message of the ABC-T mantra.

We have also recognised that partnership working is key to building a sustainable impact in our countries. In Rwanda and Kenya for example, we have partnered with cricket associations to get local coach ambassadors coaching at schools all year round. One year in, their impact has been incredible, both in terms of numbers (over 25,000 children coached) and the difference it makes to volunteer trips to these countries. The ambassadors are a key part of our future and we are working on building on the current partnerships to have more people on the ground.

We have also built relationships with community based organisations in country. Our work with Top Banana in Botswana has been crucial in extending the reach of cricket in country. We have trained over ten of the Top Banana staff, who are proficient and knowledgeable in working in their community on HIV topics, to deliver the messages through cricket. As well as leaving kit at the centre in Francistown, we have returned numerous times to train more staff and enthuse more children. It’s a great example of knowledge and resources sharing that will benefit a particularly poor area of Botswana.

Finally, we recognise that measuring what we do is crucially important, to make sure that we are delivering the best service we possibly can. On the Autumn trip to Cameroon we partnered with Dr Patrick Okwen to build an evidence base of our work in Bamenda (where Dr Patrick works at the university). Using the researchers from the university we were able to measure the knowledge of the children before and after the session. Also we recorded some of the thoughts of the children, such as;

‘I liked the day because I exercised my body and I learned about HIV/AIDS’

We are committed to working in partnerships with key organizations in order to improve our service and reach more people. We will continue to the fight on HIV/AIDS and our support for World AIDS day

Join the conversation about World AIDS day on #WorldAIDSDay