Health officials have teamed up with a regional girls’ soccer tournament to promote cervical cancer vaccination and build trust in the HPV vaccine among young African girls.

At the final of the Under-17 tournament in Norton, near Zimbabwe’s capital Harare, Lesotho’s Lishoeshoe soccer club fell 5–0 to South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns. But for 16-year-old winger Nteboheleng Leticia Sooane, the scoreline was far less important than the tournament’s broader mission.

Organized with support from GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, the competition aimed to encourage awareness and acceptance of the HPV vaccine, which can prevent cervical cancer — a disease that kills a woman every two minutes worldwide, with Africa bearing the heaviest burden.

“Participating in the tournament was very good because we had to learn and spread the message even though we did not win the finals. So it was a good experience,” Sooane said as she waited to receive her finalist’s medal in a rain-soaked stadium.

Health officials said combining sports with public health messaging helped reach young girls in a relatable and empowering way, using football as a platform to discuss prevention, confidence, and long-term wellbeing.

The initiative reflects growing efforts across Africa to tackle cervical cancer through vaccination, education, and community engagement, especially among adolescents.