'We have seen the light': participatory activities to explore HIV/AIDS vulnerability

The HIV/AIDS epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa is disproportionately affecting and infecting women and girls who themselves face a host of cultural, social, economic and political factors that obstruct the realisation of their rights, further fostering their risk and vulnerability. This paper discusses two participatory learning and action methodologies that were used were used in a project working with Maasai communities in Northern Tanzania. Entitled æA Gender Issue: reducing the vulnerability of girls to HIV/AIDSÆ, it aimed to explore factors contributing to womensÆ and girlsÆ vulnerability to HIV/AIDS, facilitating discussions to create understanding in the community and identifying strategies to reduce risk and vulnerability. The majority of the paper is given over to the description of the gender matrix activity, describing itÆs six steps and how to adapt it for children. Drawing activities with children are also looked at and finally the author discusses the effectiveness of these methodologies.