9C Working with others

The aim of this game is to show how different people can work together to solve a health problem. Some villagers are excreting in or near the water supply to the houses and making the water unclean.

The trainees are divided into two groups. One group plays the part of the village health committee. The health committee may include the community health worker, a teacher, a village leader, a parent, a traditional birth attendant and a religious leader. These people are having a meeting. The other group play the parts of villagers observing this meeting.

The community health worker acts as discussion leader. All members of the committee discuss the problem in the following way:

1. They identify the problem.

2. They plan activities. First they identify alternative ways of solving the problem, and then they select the best way.

3. They organize activities, deciding who will do what, and when. They also decide where and how things will be done.

The community health worker must record what different members of the committee say in the discussion.

The activity is then repeated with the other group of trainees becoming the village health committee. A different problem is selected. The committee can discuss any health problem including:

• safe water supply

• safe disposal of excreta

• breast-feeding

• growing good foods

• immunization of children

• the use of a mobile clinic

• transport difficulties

• the management of diarrhoea.

Fig.63

This game helps us practise working with other people. The way of discussing the problem can also be used in real life.