LIFE SKILLS

FOR

STANDARD 7

BY ZIKOMO MASESE BANDA 0999246769

Page 1 of 24
 Written by Zikomo Masese Banda
TABLE OF CONTENTS
UNIT PAGE
UNIT 1 BASIC FACTS ABOUT STIS INCLUDING HIV AND AIDS 3

UNIT 2 HIV TESTING AND COUNSELLING 4

UNIT 3 GENDER AND HIV AND AIDS 6

UNIT 4 HOME BASED CARE AND SUPPORT 7

UNIT 5 PEACEFUL CONFLICT RESOLUTION 8

UNIT 6 INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS 9

UNIT 7 EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION ON HIV AND AIDS 10

UNIT 8 SUPPORTING THE LESS PRIVILEGED 12

UNIT 9 DRUG AND SUBSTANCE USE AND ABUSE 13

UNIT 10 PEER GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING 14

UNIT 11 DECISION MAKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING 15

UNIT 12 STRESS AND ANXIETY 16

UNIT 13 SELF ESTEEM AND ASSERTIVENESS 17

UNIT 14 PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CHANGES DURING ADOLESCENCE 19

UNIT 15 SEX AND SEXUALITY 20

UNIT 16 PLANNING 22

REFERENCES 24

FIRST EDITION 2018

WHATSAPP # 0991295167/093559114

Page 2 of 24
UNIT 1 BASIC FACTS ABOUT SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS (STIs) INCLUDING HIV AND AIDS
WRITTEN BY ZIKOMO MASESE BANDA

FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE THE YOUTH TO HAVE SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS

 Peer pressure
 Lack of information about the dangers of sexual relationships
 Desire for sexual experimentation
 Curiosity
 Physical and emotional changes during adolescence
 Cultural pressures

CONSEQUENCES OF SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS

 Sexually transmitted infections
 Unwanted pregnancies
 School dropout
 Early marriages

WHAT ARE SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS

These are infections that can be transmitted through body contact during unprotected sex between an
infected person and a healthy one.

COMMON SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS

 Gonorrhoea
 Syphilis
 Herpes
 Hepatitis
 Candidiasis

PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH HIV AND AIDS

 Absenteeism from work and school
 Reduction in productivity
 Congestion in hospitals
 Poverty
 Discrimination
 School dropout
 Orphanhood
 Loss of skilled personnel

WAYS OF MANAGING PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH HIV AND AIDS

 Encouraging people to go for HTC

Page 3 of 24
  Seeking early treatment
 Introducing home based care units
 Sensitising people on income generating activities
 Sensitising people on showing love and care to the patient
 Forming HIV and AIDS groups for easy access to basic needs and support
 Providing guidance and counselling
 Establishing orphanage centres

MODES OF TRANSMISSION OF SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS INCLUDING HIV AND AIDS

 Unprotected sexual intercourse with an infected person
 Transfusion of contaminated blood
 Common usage of contaminated or unsterilized sharp tools
 Mother to child

EFFECTS OF SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS INCLUDING HIV AND AIDS

 Destruction of body organs
 Miscarriages
 Cervical cancer
 Ectopic pregnancy
 Baby born blind

PREVENTION OF STIs INCLUDING HIV AND AIDS

 Having protected sex by using condoms properly
 Abstinence from casual sexual intercourse
 Being faithful to uninfected partner
 HIV testing and counselling
 Improving genital hygiene

UNIT 2 HIV TESTING AND COUNSELLING

THE ROLE OF HTC TO THE INDIVIDUAL, FAMILY AND COMMUNITY
To an individual;
- Knowing one’s HIV status results in positive behavioural change whether one is infected or not.

Page 4 of 24
 - A person who is tested negative for HIV still undergoes counselling to maintain his or her negative
status
- The one who is tested positive also receives counselling and is encouraged to protect himself or
herself.
- The one tested positive is also advised to seek medical, social and psychological support from
health practitioners, religious leaders and others around.

To the family
- Knowing the status of the infected and affected member helps care givers to play a supportive role.
To the community
- Knowing the status of the infected and affected member helps care givers to play a supportive role.

THE KEY FACTORS OF HTC

The purpose of HIV test is to detect antibodies to HIV
These antibodies are produced when a virus or bacteria infects the body. It takes three to six months after
exposure to HIV for a test to detect these antibodies.

THE PROCESS OF HTC

 The client is first counselled. This is known as pre-test counselling.
 The client is tested on a sample of blood to detect antibodies for HIV
 The client undergoes post-test counselling
 The client is told of the test results

HIV TEST RESULTS

 A test can be HIV negative or HIV positive
 If the test is HIV negative, it probably means that you are not infected.
 If the test is HIV positive, it means that one is infected with HIV.

BARRIERS TO HTC
 Scarce testing facilities
 The stigma of HIV infection
 Lack of information
 Perception of low risk
 Lack of confidentiality
 Transportation problems
 Fear of test results

Page 5 of 24
WAYS OF OVERCOMING BARRIERS TO HTC
 Encouraging people to be open and take AIDS as any other disease
 Sensitising people on the importance of HTC
 Publicising all the HTC centres in the area
 Establishing more HTC centres throughout the country
 Seeking counselling

UNIT 3 GENDER AND HIV AND AIDS

HOW GENDER ROLES ARE IMPARTED BY THE SOCIETY
Culture and societies influence the roles, behaviours, attitudes and activities that men and women display
in the society.
This influence comes from parents, elders, teachers and peers.
Other influences are from media, language, music and religion.
By how toys and tasks are distributed by parents at home.

TERMS ASSOCIATED WITH GENDER

Sex roles
- A biological or natural role performed by either a male or female that needs to be recognised and
respected. For example, child bearing is for females, fathering a child is for males.
Gender stereotype
- Expectation of what females should do which is different from males
Gender equality
- Treating both males and females equally
Gender equity
- The principle of fair treatment
Gender bias
- Discriminatory attitudes, beliefs based on social beliefs about males’ and females’ roles
Gender inequality
- Treatment that favours one sex over another

Page 6 of 24
REASONS WHY MORE FEMALES THAN MALES ARE INFECTED WITH AND AFFECTED BY HIV AND AIDS
 Some females do not have reliable sources of income and depend on males for their financial
support
 More females do not negotiate for safer sex
 Females take care of the sick and orphans
 They maintain the home
 They participate in community work
 Their biological make up makes them more vulnerable to contracting HIV which leads to AIDS
These reasons increase their chances of contracting HIV which leads to AIDS.

FACTORS THAT PROMOTE GENDER ROLES IN THE SOCIETY

 Culture
 Religion
 Family values
 Mass media
 Migration

UNIT 4 HOME BASED CARE AND SUPPORT

Home based care and support refers to the provision of medical, psychological, nutritious, spiritual and
emotional support to a patient at home or in the community.

WHAT HOME BASED CARE AND SUPPORT INVOLVES

Home based care and support is carried out at the home of the patient, or his or her guardian's home.
It involves the provision of nutritional, emotional, psychological and spiritual support to a person suffering
from HIV and AIDS related diseases or any other long illness.

PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH HOME BASED CARE AND SUPPORT

 inadequate knowledge on nutritious foods
 inadequate knowledge on how to take care of the patient
 lack of finances to buy required materials
 lack of basic resources
 inadequate supply of drugs

Page 7 of 24
  lack of conducive environment for the patient
 lack of follow up by medical personnel
 stigmatisation
 inadequate psychological, emotional and spiritual support by the community

WAYS OF MANAGING PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH HOME BASED CARE AND SUPPORT
 training the care providers on how to take care of the patient
 lobbying for financial support from well-wishers
 mobilising the community for help in establishing drug revolving fund
 providing a conducive environment by cleaning the surrounding and digging pit latrines
 persuading medical personnel to visit the patients as frequently as possible
 intensifying psychological, emotional and spiritual support for the patient

IMPORTANCE OF HOME BASED CARE AND SUPPORT

 proper care is provided to the infected and affected person in a familiar environment
 it is cost effective (it reduces costs for guardians and medical personnel)
 it allows more people to be involved in caring for the patient
 it reduces overcrowding in hospitals
 it helps family members and community to accept the epidemic
 it gives chance to guardians to do other activities while looking after the patient
 it relieves the government of the pressure it faces on the number of health personnel, bed space
and shortage of drugs

UNIT 5 PEACEFUL CONFLICT RESOLUTION

As people live together in a school, community or family they are bound to be involved in conflicts or
disagreements because they have different interests, opinions, beliefs and views.
For them to live together peacefully, they need to learn to resolve these conflicts peacefully.

WAYS OF RESOLVING CONFLICTS PEACEFULLY

I. Negotiation
Negotiation is a process where people who are involved in conflicts come together and talk to each
other about the conflict.

Page 8 of 24
 II. Mediation
Mediation is a process where two persons who are in conflict involve a third person to help them
come up with the solution to the problem. This person is called a mediator.

III. Arbitration
Arbitration a process similar to mediation, however, the third person that is involved is called an
arbitrator. The arbitrator acts like a judge as he or she gives the final judgement as to who is right
and who is wrong.

WAYS OF OVERCOMING BARRIERS TO PEACEFUL CONFLICT RESOLUTION

 not being prejudiced or discriminatory
 being tolerant
 respecting other people's ideas, customs and beliefs
 being patient
 dealing with an issue objectively and transparently
 being assertive
 promoting justice
 promoting gender equality
 accepting one's mistakes

BARRIERS TO PEACEFUL CONFLICT RESOLUTION

 prejudice
 intolerance
 discrimination
 gender inequality
 pride
 bribery

UNIT 6 INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS

Interpersonal relationship is interaction between and among people.

TYPES OF INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS

a) Relationships within the family
b) Relationships among peers
c) Relationships among juniors and seniors

Page 9 of 24
 d) Relationships between males and females

FACTORS THAT MAY ENHANCE RELATIONSHIPS

 love
 empathy
 economic status
 respect
 effective communication
 politeness
 tolerance
 care
 gender sensitivity
 observation of human rights
 honesty
 cooperation

FACTORS THAT DESTROY RELATIONSHIPS

 envy
 dishonesty
 gossip
 jealousy
 poverty
 violence
 sexual harassment
 poor communication
 rudeness
 disrespect
 unfulfilled promises
 gender inequality
 theft
 lies
 property grabbing
 change of status
 witchcraft
 abuse of human rights

Page 10 of 24
UNIT 7 EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION ON HIV AND AIDS
FACTORS THAT ENHANCE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION ON HIV AND AIDS
 choice of channel of communication
 choice of language
 audience to be communicated

SKILLS THAT PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION ON HIV AND AIDS
 tolerance
 patience
 empathy
 negotiation

BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION ON HIV AND AIDS MESSAGES

 illiteracy
 lack of knowledge
 gender bias
 low self esteem
 poor channel of communication
 age
 religion
 language used
 social status of the one delivering the message as well as the one receiving it
 stress and anxiety
 noise

WAYS OF OVERCOMING BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION ON HIV AND AIDS MESSAGES

 appropriate words to be used when communicating
 mutual respect between the sender and receiver
 appropriate channel of communication
 avoiding prejudice
 being objective
 improvement of literacy levels
 respect for other people’s cultures
 being knowledgeable on HIV and AIDS

Page 11 of 24
UNIT 8 SUPPORTING THE LESS PRIVILEGED
THE LESS PRIVILEGED
The less privileged are people who lack opportunities or advantages enjoyed by other members in
communities.

These include
 orphans
 the aged
 the physically and mentally challenged
 street children
 widows
 the sick Needs of the less privileged

NEEDS OF THE LESS PRIVILEGED

 food
 shelter
 clothes
 soap
 beddings
 medication
 educations
 spiritual and moral support
 love
 care
 protection

WAYS OF ASSISTING THE LESS PRIVILEGED

 be provided with adequate and nutritious food
 be provided with reasonable clean home
 be provided with adequate clothes
 be provided with washing and bathing soap
 be provided with blankets
 be provided with adequate medical attention
 be provided with adequate spiritual and moral support
 be provided with adequate education that would empower them with suitable skills to be used
 be trained to be able to engage in some income generating activities so that they can be
economically independent
 they also need to be loved and cared for

Page 12 of 24
UNIT 9 DRUG AND SUBSTANCE USE AND ABUSE
MISCONCEPTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE USE AND ABUSE OF DRUGS AND SUBSTANCES
 Drugs and substances make a person intelligent
 Drugs make person forget his or her problems
 Drugs are fashionable and that it is primitive not to use drugs and substances
 Drugs make a person feel energetic when doing work or studying

SITUATIONS WHICH PROMOTE ABUSE OF DRUGS AND SUBSTANCES

 Culture
 Poverty
 Unemployment
 Loneliness
 Negative peer pressure

Culture
Some cultures tolerate the use of substances such as alcohol and chamba during ceremonies such as
weddings and funerals.

Poverty and unemployment

These make boys and girls start taking drugs and substances in order to forget their problems. As a result,
they may engage in unprotected sex thereby contracting STIs including HIV and AIDS.

Loneliness
Sometimes loneliness can influence some people to start taking drugs and substances.

Negative peer pressure

Some youths may abuse drugs and substances because they see others doing the same.

HOW ABUSE OF DRUGS AND SUBSTANCES CAN EXPOSE THE YOUTH TO HIV AND AIDS
 engaging themselves in an unprotected sexual intercourse because of loss of self control
 using unsterilized needles to inject each other

Page 13 of 24
UNIT 10 PEER GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING
Peer guidance and counselling is where members of the same age group come together to help one
another solve their problems.
The youth who are empowered have high self esteem and are able to stand for their rights.
While they may empowered by their parents and teachers, it is necessary that youths of the same age,
class, group or school listen to and help each other on how to address the everyday challenges.
Youths must assist one another by finding solutions to their own problems by sharing experiences on how
some of them addressed similar challenges.
This can be done through narrating the stories, sharing health talks, one-to-one talks, debates, songs,
poems and drama

CHALLENGES THAT THE YOUTH ENCOUNTER

 sexual abuse
 drug and substance abuse
 orphanhood

Sexual abuse
It is very common these days to hear that young people are sexually abused by adults. These adults may
take advantage of the youth by offering them rewards such as money and gifts.
In schools, some teachers who are not responsible enough may promise girls and boys high grades in
exchange for sexual favours.
This puts the youth at risk of contracting STIs including HIV and AIDS. It is therefore important that the
youth resist and report such incidences.

Drug and substance abuse

Due to negative peer pressure, some learners indulge in drug and substance abuse. Alcohol and chamba
make it difficult for one to say “no” to premarital sex which contributes to teenage pregnancies, STIs
including HIV and AIDS, school drop outs and finally death.

Orphanhood
Orphans usually suffer grief and confusion. This is worsened by prejudice and social exclusion which may
lead to dropping out of school and lack of health care. The resulting poverty and lack of support can
expose them to risks such as contracting HIV and AIDS.

WAYS OF ADDRESSING CHALLENGES THAT THE YOUTH ENCOUNTER

 By training the youth to think positively

Page 14 of 24
  By training the youth to have a sense of belonging
 By training the youth to stand firm for their rights
 By accepting situations in which they are
 By finding positive ways of improving their situations

UNIT 11 DECISION MAKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING

SITUATIONS THAT MAY REQUIRE DECISION MAKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS
 Adolescence
 Sexual relationships
 Peer pressure
 Cultural practices
 Conflicts with parents
 Conflicts among youths

Adolescence
This is the time when youths undergo physical, emotional and psychological changes. They begin to search
for their identity.

Sexual relationships
Due to physical and psychological changes, youths become curious to know the physical changes of the
opposite sex. In addition to this, they become sexually attracted to members of the opposite sex.

Peer pressure
This is the influence by members of the same age group to behave in a particular way. Peer pressure may
have both positive and negative effects.

Culture practices
Some cultural practices can lead to the spread of STIs including HIV and AIDS because they encourage
young people to indulge themselves in risky behaviours such as early sex and drug and substance abuse.
Such cultural practices are initiation ceremonies, chokolo, fisi, kusasa fumbi and mbirigha.

Page 15 of 24
 EFFECTS OF WRONG DECISION MAKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING
Situation Effects on the youth
Adolescence  Youth indulge themselves in immoral behaviours leading to
contraction of STIs including HIV and AIDS.
Sexual relationship  Unwanted pregnancies
 Abortion
 Drop out of school
 Contraction of STIs including HLV and AIDS
Negative peer pressure  Leading to drug and substance abuse
 Crime
 Suicide
 Contraction of STIs including HIV and AIDS
 Unwanted pregnancies
Culture practice  Forced marriages
 Early marriages
 Contraction of STIs including HIV and AIDS.

WAYS OF RESOLVING CONFLICTS AMONG THE YOUTHS AND PARENTS

 the provision of guidance and counselling
 another person initiating a friendly discussion in which the parent and the youth will discuss their
problems
 both sides or one of them accepting ideas from the other side
 the parent and youth having the spirit of putting oneself into another’s situation

THE IMPORTANCE OF DECISION MAKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING WHEN RESOLVING CONFLICTS AMONG
THE YOUTHS AND PARENTS
 Decision making helps a person to analyse an issue and think critically about it in order to solve a
given problem
 Promoting the ability to resist situations that may lead to problems
 Helping one to avoid delinquency
 Helping individuals to concentrate on productive activities

UNIT 12 STRESS AND ANXIETY

SITUATIONS THAT MAY LEAD TO STRESS AND ANXIETY
 child abuse
 too much work

Page 16 of 24
  death of a loved one
 adolescence
 academic failure
 divorce
 teenage pregnancy
 poverty
 bullying
 teasing
 unfaithfulness

EFFECTS OF STRESS AND ANXIETY

 suicide
 prostitution
 abortion
 mental confusion
 depression
 theft
 alcohol and drug abuse
 violence
 school drop out

WAYS OF MANAGING STRESS AND ANXIETY

 having enough rest
 playing games
 exercising
 seeking counselling
 talking and interacting with people
 learning to relax properly both mentally and physically
 watching television
 listening to music
 reading

UNIT 13 SELF ESTEEM AND ASSERTIVENESS

FACTORS THAT PROMOTE HIGH SELF ESTEEM
 constructive criticism
 accepting guidance and counselling

Page 17 of 24
  awareness of oneself
 avoiding gender stereotyping
 avoiding religion stereotyping
 avoiding tribal stereotyping
 avoiding disability stereotyping
 rewards
 success in one’s plans
 supportive school and home environment

CHARACTERISTICS OF PEOPLE WITH HIGH SELF ESTEEM

 self awareness
 facing challenges positively
 thinking critically
 enjoying work
 having direction and purpose in life
 being an ambitious
 avoiding conflicts

CHARACTERISTICS OF PEOPLE WITH LOW SELF ESTEEM

 fear of facing challenging situations
 showing aggressiveness as a defence mechanism
 counting on others to think on one’s behalf
 lack of critical thinking
 fear of making mistakes
 not enjoying work
 lacking direction or purpose in life

IMPORTANCE OF ASSERTIVENESS
 avoiding social problem
 avoiding health problem such as STIs including HIV and ALDS
 achieving set goals
 promoting one’s identity
 getting more of what one wants
 feeling good about oneself

HOW SELF ESTEEM PROMOTES ASSERTIVENESS

 high self esteem promotes assertiveness in that it makes one stand firm in achieving one’s goal in
life

Page 18 of 24
UNIT 14 PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CHANGES DURING ADOLESCENCE
MEANING OF PUBERTY AND ADOLESCENT AND ADOLESCENT
Puberty
Puberty is a period when boys and girls reach the age when their physical features begin to change from
the body of a child to that of an adult.

Adolescence
Adolescence is a period in a person’s life between childhood and adulthood.

Adolescent
Adolescent is a young person between childhood and adulthood.

PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CHANGES IN BOYS AND GIRLS DURING ADOLESCENCE

Changes in boys
Physical changes Psychological changes
 Growing taller and heavier. The hands and  They prefer to be treated like adults and
shoulders become bigger and stronger. want to make their own decisions
 The penis and testes increase in size  They develop more self confidence. They
 The penis becomes erect more often and there do not like to be forced to do things they
may be wet dreams do not want to do
 The skin becomes oily and pimples grow on the  They develop sexual feelings and start
face getting excited on seeing a girl
 Hairs grows around pubic area, in the armpits  Interest in girls increases and start to taking
and eventually on the face and chest extra care on how they look
 Producing sperm  There are frequent changes in their mood
 The voice becomes deeper and sensitive to their appearance
 They develop increased sensitivity to failure
 They become more sensitive to remarks
from adults and peers about the changes

Changes in girls
Physical changes Psychological changes
 Grow faster. The hips get wider and the breasts  They develop sexual feelings and start
start to grow getting excited on seeing a boy
 The skin becomes oily and pimples develop on the  Interest in boys increases and start to
face taking extra care on how they look
 Hair grows around vagina and the armpits

Page 19 of 24
  They experience first menstruation period  They develop more self confidence and do
 Enlargement of the labia and clitoris not like to do things they do not want
 Ovaries get bigger and developed  They prefer to be treated like adults and
 voice becomes soft want to make their own decisions
 They become sensitive to remarks from
adults and peers about the changes
 Frequent changes in their mood occur
 They become increasingly sensitive to
failure
 Sexual curiosity – desire to know more
about sexual organs especially of opposite
sex
 Keen on reading books concerning sex and
other social activities
 Desire for independence from parents and
other adults
 Feeling of love and hate

The physical changes in boys and girls during adolescence tend to influence their psychological changes.
This is because at this stage the sex hormones called testosterone in boys and oestrogen in girls are being
produced. These hormones influence their emotional behaviour.

UNIT 15 SEX AND SEXUALITY

Sex refers to one’s reproductive system which differentiates males from females.
Sexuality is the total expression of who one is as a human being whether male or female.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION ON SEX AND SEXUALITY

 Parents
 Mass media
 Peers
 Community
 Religion

Page 20 of 24
Parents
Parents are an important source of information from which children learn about sex and sexuality. As
parents teach children about accepted codes of conduct and behaviour, they learn about sex and sexuality

Mass media
Mass media such as television, radios, newspapers and magazines contribute a lot to information on sex
and sexuality.

Peers
Peers is another important source of information from which children learn about sex and sexuality. They
acquire knowledge about males and females. In addition, they learn about their roles as they play and
work together at school and home.

Community
Children learn a lot about sex and sexuality by observing what goes on in their community. They also learn
through interaction with the members of the community during initiation ceremonies.

Religion
Religion is another source of information to children on sex and sexuality. It teaches different principles of
moral behaviour. As children learn about these moral principles they also acquire information about sex
and sexuality.

MISCONCEPTION ABOUT SEX AND SEXUALITY

 having sex while standing cannot make a girl become pregnant
 having sex only once cannot make a girl pregnant
 the size of girl’s breasts increases if touched frequently by males

CONSEQUENCES OF MISINFORMATION ON SEX AND SEXUALITY

 increasing the possibility of contracting STIs including HIV and AIDS
 disrespecting parents and elders
 lawlessness in the society

IMPORTANCE OF HAVING APPROPRIATE INFORMATION ON SEX AND SEXUALITY

 it may help the youth to cope with problems that come with adolescence
 it may help the youth to avoid getting involved in sexual relationships which may lead to
contracting of HIV and AIDS

Page 21 of 24
UNIT 16 PLANNING
Planning is the process of setting guidelines for oneself to achieve intended goals or objectives.
A plan in a self disciplining guideline to ensure that activities are carried out efficiently.

STAGES IN THE PLANNING PROCESS

Planning involves many stages. Some of the steps are:

1
Identifying
goals

2
Organising
resources
6
Evaluation

3
Choosing
course of
5 action
Monitoring

4
Implementing
the plan

1. Identifying goals
Outlining activities one wants to do

2. Organising resources
After the goals have been identified, you think of the resources that you need to achieve your
goals. These may include human, material, time, monetary resources. This needs skills such as
decision making, creative thinking and critical thinking.

3. Choosing course of action

Selecting alternative ways of achieving your goals by choosing what activity to do.

Page 22 of 24
4. Implementing the plan
Translating the plan into action or doing the activity using the resources available.

5. Monitoring
This is making a follow up to see the progress of the activity to do

6. Evaluation
Assessing what has been done. You actually judge whether the activity is being done according to
your plan.

THE IMPORTANCE OF PLANNING

 it helps to save time
 it helps to save money
 it helps to save materials
 achievement of goals
 it is easy to follow the procedures
 it helps to check and judge whether what was planned has been done
 it helps to monitor how the activity is being done
 it helps in obtaining and using resources wisely
 it helps to avoid contracting STIs including HIV and AIDS
 it helps an individual living with HIV and AIDS to avoid spreading it to other individuals including the
unborn child
 it helps individuals living with HIV and AIDS to provide for the future of their children including
making a wall

SITUATIONS THAT REQUIRE PLANNING

 choice of career
 marriage
 family
 business
 safe motherhood

SITUATIONS THAT CAN CHANGE PLANS

 Dropping out of school
 Early marriages
 Peer pressure
 Rainfall patterns’
 Stress and anxiety
Page 23 of 24
  Natural disasters
 Death
 Lack of resources
 Unplanned pregnancies
 Illnesses
 Conflicting activities

REFERENCES
MIE (2008) Life Skills Teacher’s Guide for Standard 7, Domasi; MIE.
MIE (2008) Life Skills Learner’s Book for Standard 7, Domasi; MIE.

Page 24 of 24