Understanding relationships around us through relationship map exercise
Overcomers are the
young adolescents who have lost one or both parents belonging to our center.
This month meeting was indeed a special moment for young people to reflect on
the relationships around them through an activity called Relationship Map. For
the young people it provided opportunity for them to unburden some of the
strong negative relationships that affect them and at the same time gain
confidence in relationships that support them.
For one girl, her widowed
mother is an inspiration in setting higher goals for her life.
For a boy, his
uncle and the regular overcomers group has been his strength.
This activity clearly
reflected that children are in need of role models for their life. They are
looking for a friend, for a brother/sister, an uncle or aunty or someone they
can rely and learn to steer their life. For some children, the relationship map
activity also helped them remember some of the lost ones who had been part of
their relationships and the values that had been built in them.
This exercise is very
vital especially for young adolescents to learn from the relationships around
them. On one side it builds confidence from positive relationships and on the
other side the negative relationships may affect the child’s self –esteem and
respect. This in turn may result in making wrong choices. Thus this activity
helps the adolescents to analyse their relationships by themselves and choose
to be with right kind of friends and people around.