LIFE SKILLS EDUCATION TOOLKIT FOR ORPHANS AND VULNERABLE CHILDREN IN INDIA 9•
Experience from the field
This activity worked well with all groups. We were able to identify that relationships with friends were
better than with their family members (CCDT, Mumbai).
Street children need help to write. Clearly, children had three lines for friends on the street and at the
shelter. With the younger ones, the activity was adapted. From one corner of the room, semi-circles
were drawn to the middle of the room. Children hopped into each of the circles and mentioned who
they were close to and who they were far away from relationships. The names of all the persons
mentioned by the children were noted down. (PCI, Delhi).
When INP+ Namakkal did the relationship maps, most children drew a local shopkeeper. The facilitator
explored further and met the shopkeeper. He was a friendly person and children bought sweets from him.
He also had a telephone. Eventually, he became an important contact point in the LSE program and
messages were sent to the children of the village or children rang up the INP+ office from his shop.
INP+ Namakkal works with children whose parents are infected by HIV and has found that children
draw their relationship maps in unique ways. For example, some children insist on drawing more than
three lines if they are very close to a person or not at all, if they dislike the person very much. In one
instance, a child drew three lines to a parent who was not alive and no line to the grandmother who
looked after him. The facilitator at INP+ felt it was very important to be a sensitive listener while doing
the relationship map exercise with the children. (INP+ Namakkal).Tips for the facilitator
It is important to have a counselor present during this activity. Assistance from other staff is also
useful, as children may not be able to write. Children often like to discuss what they are writing as well.
There have been many adaptations regarding sharing. Sometimes, children like to share only with the
LSE facilitator or counselor, at other times with their ‘buddy’ and sometimes not at all. The facilitator
should be sensitive to the needs of the children while planning this activity.Review- What did the children learn about their relationships?
- What did they learn about the relationships of other children?
- Did they find the activity useful? Why?
Activity: Relationship Maps; Partner: CRS-St. Paul’s Trust, Andhra Pradesh