The goal of this module is

• to understand what peer pressure is.

How it’s done

1. The life skills facilitator can ask the children a few questions, having observed the boxing practice:
   • What happens when you cross your feet? Why is becoming unbalanced dangerous in boxing? What will happen if you start without being balanced?
   • What about in life, is it sometimes dangerous to be off balance and easy to push over? When could it be dangerous to be pushed to the ground?
2. Discussion stories
   • Story 1: It is Jamhuri Day and a famous musician is playing a free concert in the neighbourhood. Neema, Shuja, Baraka and Bakari are going to the concert and they ask Julie to come along with them, but Julie’s auntie is visiting their home and she cannot go. They tell Julie she must come, they will all have fun together. Julie is confused. She refuses saying her mother will be angry. Her friend says, ‘if you don’t come today with us we will never speak to you again.’ So Julie goes to the concert.
   • Story 2: Lilian has just cut her long hair into a short style. Her sister, Florence, finds her crying and asks her what is wrong. When Lilian says she hates her new hairstyle, Florence asks her why she cut it. Lilian explains that all her friends cut their hair and told her that she should too. When she said that she preferred her long hair, they said she must be too scared to do it. Lilian told them that she wasn’t scared, but they said, ‘Well, then, if you’re not scared, prove it. Go get a short style.’ She didn’t want them to think she was scared, so she did it.
3. Discussion Questions
   • Have you faced situations of peer pressure? Can you share some real-life experiences?
   • How did you feel when you were unsure about doing something, but only did it to please your friends?
   • How did you cope with such a situation?
   • What could Julie and Lilian have done differently?