Star for Life

{{Short description|Swedish non-profit school programme}}

File:Star For Life.jpg and his wife Christin talking to students at a Star for Life school]]

Star for Life (previously known as Star School) is a Swedish non-profit{{Cite news|url=http://www.helagotland.se/nyheter/artikel.aspx?articleid=5549697|title=Nytt hopp tema när Afrika mötte Gotland|last=Sveds|first=Åsa|work=Helagotland.se|accessdate=22 February 2010}} school programme that was created in Southern Africa to prevent HIV/AIDS from spreading.{{Cite news|url=http://www.folkbladet.se/nyheter/artikel.aspx?articleid=4316602|title=En julmix från hela världen|last=Wiman|first=Matilda|date=7 December 2008|work=Folkbladet|accessdate=22 February 2010}}{{Cite news|url=http://sydsvenskan.se/sport/fotboll/mff/article423414/MFF-hittade-fargen-pa-Idrottsmus%C3%A9et.html|title=MFF hittade färgen på Idrottsmuséet|last=Wiman|first=Max|date=31 March 2009|work=Sydsvenskan|accessdate=22 February 2010|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090410123021/http://sydsvenskan.se/sport/fotboll/mff/article423414/MFF-hittade-fargen-pa-Idrottsmus%C3%A9et.html|archivedate=10 April 2009|df=dmy-all}} The idea was formed by the Swedish entrepreneur Dan Olofsson{{Cite news|url=http://www.helagotland.se/noje/artikel.aspx?articleid=5532654|title=Musik som bygger broar|last=Valentinsson|first=Bengt|date=25 September 2009|work=Helagotland.se|accessdate=22 February 2010}}{{Cite news|url=http://sydsvenskan.se/sport/fotboll/ldbfcmalmo/article558957/Fotbollsresa-som-ger-politisk-erfarenhet.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120904171758/http://sydsvenskan.se/sport/fotboll/ldbfcmalmo/article558957/Fotbollsresa-som-ger-politisk-erfarenhet.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 September 2012|title=Fotbollsresa som ger politisk erfarenhet|last=Silvander|first=Heidi|date=17 October 2009|work=Sydsvenskan|accessdate=22 February 2010}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.tv4.se/1.717409/2008/11/12/hojdpunkter_under_nyhetsmorgon_i_kapstaden|title=Höjdpunkter under Nyhetsmorgon i Kapstaden|date=12 November 2008|publisher=TV4|accessdate=22 February 2010|archive-date=23 February 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120223114939/http://www.tv4.se/1.717409/2008/11/12/hojdpunkter_under_nyhetsmorgon_i_kapstaden|url-status=dead}} and his wife Christin.{{Cite news|url=http://sydsvenskan.se/sverige/article154427/Dan-Olofsson-satsar-miljoner-pa-skolprojekt-mot-aids.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130418120041/http://sydsvenskan.se/sverige/article154427/Dan-Olofsson-satsar-miljoner-pa-skolprojekt-mot-aids.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 April 2013|title=Dan Olofsson satsar miljoner på skolprojekt mot aids|last=Rainer|first=Lena|date=20 April 2006|work=Sydsvenskan|accessdate=22 February 2010}} Their goal was to help young African people actualize their dreams and to support them to live an AIDS-free life by refraining from having unsafe sex.{{Cite news|url=http://www.realtid.se/ArticlePages/200903/23/20090323144859_Realtid516/20090323144859_Realtid516.dbp.asp?sAction=lk|title=Olofsson räddar Sundqvist från fotbollslag i Afrika|last=Hammar|first=Ian|date=24 March 2009|work=Realtid.se|accessdate=22 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090329183945/http://realtid.se/ArticlePages/200903/23/20090323144859_Realtid516/20090323144859_Realtid516.dbp.asp?sAction=lk|archive-date=29 March 2009|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}

Over 60,000 youths are educated in the prevention of HIV/AIDS by Star for Life in South Africa and Namibia. These youths are students at the 62 schools run by Star for Life there.{{Cite news|url=http://sydsvenskan.se/sport/fotboll/mff/article423329/quotStar-for-lifequot-pryder-MFFs-trojor.html|title=Här är årets nya MFF-tröja|last=Wiman|first=Max|date=1 April 2009|work=Sydsvenskan|accessdate=22 February 2010|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130418140746/http://sydsvenskan.se/sport/fotboll/mff/article423329/quotStar-for-lifequot-pryder-MFFs-trojor.html|archivedate=18 April 2013|df=dmy-all}} The first school was started in the autumn of 2005 in the South African province KwaZulu-Natal. Olofsson paid for the expenses (15 million kronor) of this school by himself; the rest of the schools were paid for by sponsors. A fund was created for the programme and, as of 2008, 55 million kronor had been raised from donations by various Swedish company leaders such as Stefan Persson (H&M) and Volvo.

Alf Svensson, one of the people behind Star for Life, has commented on the advice given to youths by the programme: "It's either safe sex or no sex at all. The results have been fantastic. We have lowered the amount of teen pregnancies significantly."{{Cite news|url=http://sydsvenskan.se/sverige/article435680/Nojd-veteran-tillbaka-i-rampljuset.html|title=Nöjd veteran tillbaka i rampljuset|last=Lönneus|first=Olle|date=3 June 2009|work=Sydsvenskan|accessdate=22 February 2010}}{{dead link|date=April 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

The school programme lasts three years and uses colours, art, music, and sports as important parts of the education.{{Citation needed|date=February 2010}} They also work with strengthening the school children's self-esteem through coaching and support.{{Cite news|url=http://www.nt.se/noje/artikel.aspx?articleid=4579461|title=Konsert som gav massvis med jul|last=Gerhardsson|first=Lisa|date=8 December 2008|work=Norrköpings Tidningar|accessdate=22 February 2010}} Many South African youths have been given the opportunity to travel to Sweden to perform at concerts to raise money for the programme. These concerts help the youths to strengthen their esteem.{{Cite news|url=http://www.sr.se/Sormland/nyheter/arkiv.asp?ProgramID=202&Min=2001-04-20&PeriodStart=2009-10-12&Period=2&Artikel=3168015|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130418133226/http://www.sr.se/Sormland/nyheter/arkiv.asp?ProgramID=202&Min=2001-04-20&PeriodStart=2009-10-12&Period=2&Artikel=3168015|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 April 2013|title=Skönsång för välgörenhet|last=Crabb|first=Evelina|date=14 October 2009|publisher=Sveriges Radio|accessdate=22 February 2010}} The Swedish band Triple & Touch has done several concerts with African youths to support Star for Life.{{Cite news|url=http://hn.se/kulturnoje/musik/1.598471-rejoice-sjunger-for-afrikas-barn|title=Rejoice sjunger för Afrikas barn |last=Erlandsson|first=Martin|date=6 October 2009|work=Hallands Nyheter|accessdate=22 February 2010}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}} In addition to music, several football teams have been created in Africa.{{Cite news|url=http://sydsvenskan.se/sport/article300714/Malmospelare-skapar-framtidsdrommar.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120714070613/http://sydsvenskan.se/sport/article300714/Malmospelare-skapar-framtidsdrommar.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 July 2012|title=Malmöspelare skapar framtidsdrömmar|last=Rolfsdotter-Jansson|first=Catarina|date=13 February 2008|work=Sydsvenskan|accessdate=22 February 2010}}

Star for Life has received support from Mandla Mandela, Nelson Mandela's grandson, who helped raise money for the project when he came to Sweden in late 2009.{{Cite news|url=http://svt.se/svt/jsp/Crosslink.jsp?d=22577&a=1740343&queryArt549588=skola&sortOrder549588=0&doneSearch=true&sd=22634&from=siteSearch&pageArt549588=7|title=Ny generation Mandela tar över|date=22 October 2009|publisher=Sveriges Television|accessdate=22 February 2010|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110612064701/http://svt.se/svt/jsp/Crosslink.jsp?d=22577&a=1740343&queryArt549588=skola&sortOrder549588=0&doneSearch=true&sd=22634&from=siteSearch&pageArt549588=7|archivedate=12 June 2011|df=dmy-all}} The Star for Life logo appeared on the front of the professional football club Malmö FF's shirts during the 2009 Allsvenskan season.

Olofsson received a Global Business Coalition award in 2008 for Star for Life. Among the 700 guests at the award ceremony were Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon, who praised the programme.{{Cite news|url=http://sydsvenskan.se/ekonomi/article333088.ece |title=Dan Olofssons arbete mot aids prisbelönas |last=Melvinger |first=Katarina Ström |work=Sydsvenskan |date=8 June 2008 |accessdate=22 February 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120214075704/http://www.sydsvenskan.se/ekonomi/article333088.ece |archivedate=14 February 2012 }}{{Cite news|url=http://www.realtid.se/ArticlePages/200806/09/20080609111147_Realtid662/20080609111147_Realtid662.dbp.asp|title=It-miljardär belönas för sin kamp mot aids|date=9 June 2008|work=Realtid.se|accessdate=22 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080611162020/http://www.realtid.se/ArticlePages/200806/09/20080609111147_Realtid662/20080609111147_Realtid662.dbp.asp|archive-date=11 June 2008|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}

Star for Life Germany is the independent arm of the Star for Life Foundation in Germany. Entrepreneur and philanthropist Dr Jörg Mosolf established Star for Life Germany as a charitable foundation in October 2021 to provide targeted coaching to students in disadvantaged regions of Southern Africa. {{Cite web |last=elin@elindstrom.se |date=2021-10-21 |title=Dr. Jörg Mosolf gründet Stiftung Star for Life Germany |url=https://starforlife.org/de/dr-joerg-mosolf-gruendet-stiftung-star-for-life-germany/ |access-date=2023-07-06 |website=Star for Life |language=de-DE}}{{Cite web |last=Naumann |first=Jan Peter |date=2021-10-21 |title=Jörg Mosolf gründet deutschen Ableger von "Star for Life" |url=https://www.dvz.de/rubriken/menschen/detail/news/joerg-mosolf-gruendet-deutschen-ableger-von-star-for-life.html |access-date=2023-07-11 |website=www.dvz.de}}