LIFE SKILLS EDUCATION TOOLKIT FOR ORPHANS AND VULNERABLE CHILDREN IN INDIA• 43
The children work in groups of 5-10 to identify
the main problems affecting the children in
their community. If the problem area is HIV,
the facilitator will assist them in identifying
problems linked to HIV. If the problem relates
to alcohol abuse or gender violence, the
problems will then relate to that broad area.
Children list the problems, and then score them
on a point system where 5 is the highest and 1 is
the lowest. The children score on 1) how serious
the problem is, 2) how common it is and 3) whatchildren can do to solve the problem. When
children give a score for “what children can do to
solve the problem,” they must give examples. By
giving examples, the involvement and
participation of children is firmly established in
the implementation of the program. The points
are totaled and the problem with the highest
points becomes the priority.
The P matrix differs from project to project
and will reflect the different needs of different
groups of children. Examples are given below:Problem How How What children can do to solve Importance
common serious solve problems with examples
Harassment by police 4 3 2 – run away 9
Peer pressure to smoke 5 5 4 – we can stop smoking and 14
make our friends understand
Local shopkeeper makes 5 4 4 – we can learn to say no, find 13
us do a lot of work for food other places for food
and shelterSample from street children project in Delhi
In this case, harassment by police indicates a low priority for what children can do. This problem may need to
be addressed through advocacy by the NGO.
Problem How How What children can do to solve Importance
common serious solve problems with examples
Police hit us 4 5 3 – we can be clean and not 12
look drugged
Money is stolen from 5 5 5 – we can collect money and 15
center keep it safe
Older boys hit us at 4 4 3 – we should respect 11
the shelter older boys
We have addictions 5 5 1 – we need to leave this area 11
No TV in center 4 1 1 – we could go to the nearby 6
center but we have to follow
rules of leavingSample from street children project in Delhi