LOVE.check in Cambodia
During the autumn of 2004, a long cherished wish came true when I was given the chance to spend three months doing volunteer work in Cambodia.
My main undertaking was to train teachers who were working in childcare centres. A few weeks prior to my departure, I received an urgent appeal to give instruction on sex behaviour and convey information about HIV/AIDS in an orphanage.

How do you do that? I was pleased when, through a network of people, I heard about the LOVE.check game and even more pleased when it became evident that I would be able to get hold of some of the games to take to Cambodia.

Approximately 90 children, mostly orphans, live in the JCA (Jeannine’s Child Association). The majority of these children have lost their parents to AIDS. AIDS is a major problem in Cambodia; expectations are that within a few years there will be 350 thousand AIDS orphans. Out of a total population of 13 million, that is a huge number of people!
It is even more alarming that within a few years there will be no grandparents left to care for their grandchildren, a situation which is already apparent.
Even though the government has embarked on an endeavour to instruct and warn the public against the dangers, up until now it seems not to be effective enough.

Playing the game ‘LOVE check’ seemed a welcome addition to the insufficient knowledge that was available. During a three-month period, I played the game with six groups of girls varying in age from nine to fifteen years. Naturally, an explanation regarding the card illustrations came first; that the cards showed African people and that Africa is a different continent.

For most of the children, this was very new information! Nevertheless, it was not a hindrance for them to play the game. All the children including some of the helpers and my translator played the game. The element of play was what made everyone enthusiastic.

After playing the game, it was relatively easy to talk about HIV/AIDS with the girls who at times were shy, always open and filled with questions. Notably almost all the girls knew how the virus could be spread. Most already had clear notions regarding how they would protect themselves from adulterous husband or from unsolicited sex.

Unfortunately this goes against the dominate culture in Cambodia where, in this particular area, women have very little to say.

Playing the second round of the game proved an easy entry to convey general sexual information. Knowledge about sexual development, pregnancy, birth and prophylactics was pitiably lacking. On the other hand, myths were overabundant.

Gradually the girls became freer, their questions increased, knowledge and experiences were shared, and the most important HIV/AIDS became a ‘natural’ subject to discuss. Afterwards the children continued discussing outside of the classroom, a small step forward for this group.

Most importantly, an Asian version of the game is in the making ensuring a clearer understanding of the images. Example; the mother in everyday African dress provoked many giggles, “She is pregnant again” (only pregnant women wear such wide dresses in Cambodia) and the woman with a white jacket was considered ‘very sexy’ (viewed as being incorrect).

Following my departure, an attempt to play the game with groups of boys was made. Most striking was that the boys had no idea about the how someone gets contaminated with the HIV virus. In addition, it proved more difficult to stimulate the boys to talk about AIDS through playing the game.

Willy Mentink, team leader of help assistance organizations in the Netherlands.