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“I used to think I was poor and believed that I could not give, but now I realize that I can give back in other ways that do not require money, by giving love and encouragement.” - Caregiver (The women’s pottery project in Selebi-Phikwe) |
Lessons Learned from PCI’s Building Bridges Program in Botswana
Dimpho, a 13-year-old girl, grabs a teacher’s hand. “You will be my mother on my journey,” she says. They start walking hand-in-hand on Dimpho’s “road of life,” a path marked by stones. At the first obstacle on the road of life Dimpho stops. “This is where my mother died,” she says. The other participating children and elders become quiet. Many recognize the situation.
“After my mother passed away I lived with my uncle. He was nice.” She walks on holding the teacher’s hand, more tightly this time. At the next stone obstacle she puts her head down. “This is where my uncle died,” she cries.
The teacher puts her arm around Dimpho. “From now onwards I will be your mother,” she says.
Dimpho shared her life story with caregivers and other vulnerable children during a Journey of Life Awareness workshop in the village of Mochudi in Botswana. Dimpho’s social support system crumbled because of the impact of HIV and AIDS. As a result she had no one left to care for her. Unfortunately Dimpho’s story is all too common in Botswana.
Botswana has the second highest HIV prevalence in the world, with 17.6% of the population infected. The epidemic has taken a toll on the country’s ability to respond to the needs of orphans and vulnerable children, as the traditional “safety net” of the extended family has been overwhelmed and many families pushed into poverty.
Dimpho lost her family to HIV and AIDS. Unfortunately the psychosocial problems of children like Dimpho often remain hidden or are overlooked by communities. PCI’s Journey of Life model helps communities identify and better understand these issues and find their own solutions within their own means.
What is the Journey of Life?
This easy-to-use process leads community members through activities that help them reflect on what it takes to ensure a child succeeds on her or his “journey of life” from birth to adulthood. The workshop process, held in community settings, helps participants reflect on the support that children need along the way, what can go wrong, and what can be done to protect and nurture children on their journey.
The Journey of Life can be used with adults, children, or with combined groups of children and adults. While focusing on children, it also has benefits for adults as they reflect on their own lives and on what is going right and wrong as they work to raise their families. The Journey of Life has been used successfully in many countries and programmatic contexts around the world to change negative mindsets, and to motivate communities to plan and take action using their own resources to address children’s needs.