The award recognises individuals who are creating positive change in communities around the world. He was nominated for the award by the Alliance secretariat.
Ginan Koesmayadi is one of the founders and Co-Director of Rumah Cemara and is instrumental to their Football for Social Change programme. Rumah Cemara set up their own football team as a way of keeping healthy and reaching out into the wider community, helping to break down stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV. Members of the team are both HIV positive and negative.
“I believe that football can be used as an effective intervention to educate people about HIV and drug abuse, as well as to reduce stigma and discrimination” says Ginan.
Ginan has become a public figure in his country and was one of the first Indonesians to declare his positive status on national television.
The award amounts to a US$12,500 grant in support of Ginan’s leadership, Rumah Cemera and the Football for Social Change Programme.
“Ginan is a true inspiration for many people, not only in Indonesia but also around the world” say Levi Stauss & Co in their media release.
You can read more in this post on the Levi Strauss & Co blog.
Ginan was one of the participants in our football project with Albion in the Community last September. In this interview he tells us how the Football for Social Change programme is making a huge difference to his community in Indonesia.