Orphans and Vulnerable Children - CRIN

Identifying a Standby Guardian

In this activity, you will:

 Discuss the idea of astandby guardianwith your group

Facilitator’s notes:

This activity links with the last one, where the group looked at issues that OVC faced after the death

their parents. In this activity, you will discuss the concept of standby guardians with the group.

When children lose their parents they are faced with a lot of challenges to cope and manage in life.

One way that parents can help them is to identify a standby guardian who will become part of the

children’s lives even before the parents die. Knowing that there will be someone to look after them,

will stop children suffering much stress and anxiety. The standby guardian can be a family friend or

a relative. The standby guardian will be a support to the children in their day-to-day lives.

For this activity you will need:

 Flipchart and markers

To facilitate this activity:

1 Remind the group of the lists of points raised in the last activity, where you looked at the

effects of separation for OVC, and possible ways to minimise these effects. In this activity,

you will be looking more closely at the idea of a standby guardian.

2 Divide the participants into five groups and ask them to discuss the following topics

in their groups:

Group 1: The role of the standby guardian

Group 2: Why the standby guardian is important and who should identify the standby guardian

Group 3: Discuss how children can be prepared when the parents are still sick and after they die

Group 4: Discuss the key issues affecting OVC that were presented

in the role-play (in the previous activity)

Group 5: The role of the home visitor.

3 Groups should choose one person to outline the

points that were raised in their discussion. In plenary,

get the speaker from each group to present their

group’s ideas. Write these up on the flipchart.

4 If time permits, you may discuss further ideas for

the role of the standby guardian in the lives of OVC.

Discuss what their roles will be and what

responsibilities they will have in caring for these

children.

Activity 8

40 minutes

(^290) Unit 2, Module 4 Guide to Mobilising and Strengthening Community-Led Care for Orphans and Vulnerable Children