1. Little Angels Approach in Addressing HIV
Stigma.
NGUNGA wa nguta
BEVALINE achieng

2. Presentation format
 Background
 Lessons learnt
 Little Angels Approach
 Core values/principles
 Methodology
 Recommendation

3. Background Information:
 Medical studies show that; laughter boosts levels of
endorphins, the body’s natural pain killers & suppresses
the levels of epinephrine, the stress hormone (Source: Dr. Norman
Cousins).
 Stigma depress the person infected, which translates to
the cellular level. By playing we are able to get our energy
up, break up hopelessness.

4. Background Continued:
Role of laughter in our lives
 Relieves tension and breaks ice among people .
 Laughter creates a relaxed atmosphere that allow
discussions.
 Brings people together and creates a forum for support for
those isolated by the society due their HIV/AIDS status.
 It is a silent reassuarance to our friends that all is well
despite everything else

5. Lessons Learnt:
 NOPE conducted Formative Assessment (2006 FA report)
in Kericho, Kwale, Kangemi, Limuru and Kawangware
locations.
 Children are not involved in HIV discussion yet they have
a lot of anxiety!!
 Further the FA found out that;
◦ Creative “child-fun games” used as ice-breaker in community
outreach activities present opportunities for children to discuss
HIV/AIDS stigma issues.
◦ Children and youth find it hard to discuss HIV issues with
parents and adults
◦ Parents on the other hand are not comfortable discussing RH
issues with their children

6. Lessons Learnt
 For small children, being innovative and creative in
coming up with different “child-fun games” is the
motivation to experience the world.
 Children who do not play are dull and lack
motivation for life.
 There is no division between playing and learning;
between the things a child does “just for fun” &
things that are “educational.”

7. Little Angels Approach
Using “child-fun games” to deal with HIV Stigma in the
Community.
 Borrowed from Ambassadors of Change (AoC) Mahewa za
life session structure, Little Angels’ approach embraces
children as part of the community.
 To create an informed society, children must be a part of
the process & figuratively looked at as the grass root of
human hierarchy in human development (Little Angel).
 Children have questions and concerns about HIV/AIDS
and thus Little Angels Approach endeavors to give them a
platform to air their predicaments.

8. Little Angels Approach Continue:
1. Matters of health cuts across all ages and as such
children too should be enlightened to be self responsible
for their health.
 In any community outreach, children will be there and in
most outreach activities they are assumed or taken away
to pave way for adults to discuss.
 Little Angles assess ways that encourage children, youth
and adults to collectively address stigma and know their
HIV status in order to safeguard their health

9. Little Angels Core Values:
 When children in the community accept you, the whole
village accepts you.
 They are the yard stick to measure acceptance in the
community.
 During community outreach sessions it is easy to start with
“children-fun games” as icebreaker as a way to involve
youth & adults in discussions.
 Children are the bridge between us and the older
community they deserve acceptance and maximum
respect!

10. Little Angels Methodology
 Engage children in “fun-games” e.g. dancing, sack racing.
Balloon basting, cock fighting e.t.c.
 Use open ended question that provoke discussion among the
children.
 Use case scenario tasks and let the children in smaller groups
come up with solutions
 After involving the children, the youths will find themselves
participating in urge to try and help the children.
 A good facilitator capitalizes on this and elevates the discussion
to achieve the objective.

11. Recommendations:
 An ideal starting point would be consulting with the nursery,
kindergarten and lower primary school teachers.
 A module to be developed to guide young people/resource
persons on how to initiating child role plays in stigma
discussion sessions.
 Kids playing freely in the community should also be
interviewed to offer their “expertise”.
 Child-parent communication be an emphasis in stigma
reduction strategies

12. Practical session
 The participants of this session will take part in a number
of child plays that can be used to fight HIV/AIDS stigma
among the youth.