The “Strike AIDS Out” event had about 300 kids playing baseball throughout the day. About 70 of them were HIV-positive. This one-day event took place at the St. Barnabas School in Bosmont, Johannesburg on November 26.
All 300+ kids were from the Johannesburg area. The organizers of the event included the South West Gauteng Association, the Gauteng Baseball Federation, Nkosi’s Haven, Sparrow Village, the Alexandra Baseball Association, Baseball in Africa, Inc., and Staying Alive.
The South West Gauteng Association and the Gauteng Baseball Federation are two of the four affiliations to the South African Baseball Union that administer baseball in Johannesburg. “Gauteng” is the term used in South Africa that refers to the greater Johannesburg area.
Nkosi’s Haven www.nkosishaven.org and Sparrow Village www.sparrowvillage.co.za are two HIV/AIDS hospices with efforts concentrated to organize baseball.
The Alexandra Baseball Association is an association, which was founded four years ago in perhaps the most destitute township of Johannesburg. There are three teams – soon to be four – competing in the SABU championship. Two of the players were participating in the MLB camp in Cape Town: Mike Lepebe and Sammy Mashile.
Baseball in Africa, Incorporated in the U.S.A. www.baseballinafrica.org and Staying Alive in Italy www.stayingalive.it are two organizations ONLUS founded to fight social problems in Africa through sport.
