Life Skills Education Toolkit

LIFE SKILLS EDUCATION TOOLKIT FOR ORPHANS AND VULNERABLE CHILDREN IN INDIA• 27

ACTIVITY THREE

Open Door Closed Door

Group Check in

1. Discuss with the group that even when we think that there is no solution and we can do nothing,
   there may be many possibilities we may not have explored. Sometimes our friends can help us
   find solutions.


2. The facilitator stands near the door of the room and tells the children:
   When bad things happen and people face big problems, they feel angry and sad and do not know
   what to do. They feel that all the wonderful things that the world can give (point to the open door)
   are not for them. They feel that the world has shut the door on them (slam the door shut).
   The facilitator now puts on a scarf or a dupatta and says, “I am Seema in Standard VIII. I have
   just been told that my father is HIV+. Now I have many problems. Each problem feels like a door
   closing in my life. Help me find ways to open the door.”
   Seema says my father is HIV POSITIVE, so ...She selects a statement from the list below and as
   she says it, she slams the door shut.
   In pairs, the group discusses what to do, suggests it to the larger group, and if they agree, they
   tell her the solution and open the door. An example is given below.

Closed Door Open Door

He may lose his job He can try to keep this job or find another one

He will fall sick now He can make his body strong now

He will feel sad and upset He can learn to share problems and the family can help

He will die soon No one knows when one will die; I can live well during the life I have

We the children will suffer We can get as prepared as possible and try to have

as much good times as we can

My friends will desert me Your real friends will stay by you and you can make new ones

Prepare other examples according to the needs and age of the children.

Review

• Was it difficult to open up the door?


• Do you think that the open door helped Seema?


• Can creative thinking help people cope with problems?


• Can children help others with their problems?


• Can children help children living with HIV?