Participatory Tool and Method HIV-AIDS Problems

It is an open method, which helps people to explore their own views and experiences in an unthreatening manner. Use may bring out issues of water, sanitation and hygiene related to HIV/AIDS, but also many other aspects, practical as well as conceptual and ethical.

The developers of the tool and method are Lyra Srinivasan, Ron Sawyer and Jake Pfohl. They are also the developers of SARAR, a participatory planning method for water and sanitation improvements which was later adjusted to Participatory Hygiene And Sanitation Transformation (PHAST).

Briefly, the tool is used as follows (see also the session sheet):

• The facilitator organizes a community gathering
• S/he splits up the gathering into small groups
• S/he gives each group a copy of the "family silhouettes" tool
• S/he gives each group a description of its family, such as:

- a single mother with infants and young children

- a household with a father, mother and young children

- a young girl with an infant

- an elderly couple with children

- a household with a father, mother, young children and a grandmother

• S/he asks each group for a story of “their family”
• S/he then asks them to turn around the silhouette. On the back, one of the figures is marked with a red dot: he or she is HIV/AIDS infected…
• S/he asks the groups to discuss how this affects the family, the community
• The groups bring out the problems – the mood is somber
• Then s/he asks the groups to discuss what can be done. The mood swings from sober and sad to more positive action oriented…it is time to discuss what can be done, for prevention and coping…

Read more here about how the tool was used for training and community work

For ideas on how this tool can be used to explore the links between HIV/Aids and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) at local level, click here.