Effective responses require people to be equipped with accurate understanding of the epidemic, its causes and consequences and to sharpen their ability to distinguish facts from myths and misconceptions.

Purpose:

To clarify basic information about HIV/AIDS, modes of transmission and prevention, and to dispel related myths. To get to know the extent to which participants are aware of degrees of risk of transmission within the context of HIV/AIDS. An alternative, to increase participants’ involvement, would be for one group to prepare chits for another group.

Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour

Materials:

• Three large cut-out circles, each approximately two feet in diameter, labeled "high risk", "low risk" and "no risk" respectively.


• Depending on the size of the group, some 20 or more small slips of paper (called ‘chits’) each with a statement concerning a behaviour of high, low or no risk of infection, e.g., unprotected sex with a woman who is menstruating, or breastfeeding by a HIV positive mother.


• A bowl with a wide mouth in which to place chits.

Procedure:

• Ask the participants to divide themselves into teams (pairs or triads)


• Place the three large circles in the center of the floor and explain their labels


• Show the bowl of "chits" and explain that each chit has a different behvioural statement written on it representing different degrees of risk


• Pass the bowl around and ask each team to pick any one "chit" and to read and decide in which of the three circles it should be placed: high, low, or no risk. Team members should be prepared to justify their choice of circle in which to place their chit.


• Invite each team in turn to read its statement aloud for the benefit of other participants and to place the chit in the circle it considers appropriate. In so doing, the team members concerned should justify why they chose that particular circle for placement of their "chit".


• The ‘floor’ is now open for other participants to agree or disagree with the team’s choice of circle and they may do so, if they choose, with applause, good-natured jostling and humor but never in ways which diminish the person(s) involved in the discussion.


• The proponent team should feel free to transfer its chit to another circle if it has changed its mind on the basis of the whole group discussion.


• Invite the participants to set aside "chits" that might require further investigation in cases where there is no consensus or the participants have recognized their need for more information.


• The facilitator does not take sides or act as a final judge in the case but encourages the participants to critically examine their points of disagreement by raising appropriate questions for further reflection.

Source: YRG Care, Tamil Nadu, India