Train caregivers to help children traumatised by war

By Simon Mone

Born in refugee camps, a number of children are not able to comprehend the conditions that they find themselves in. 

Unlike their friends in the more peaceful parts of the world, children caught up in war and facing the torment of conflicts are increasing in number.

They are denied a chance to enjoy everything that a kid needs as a privilege to have: education, health, food, shelter and all basic needs that kids require to facilitate their growth as children. Having to put up with their vulnerable parents, watching their mothers endure torrid conditions, make up for favourable conditions of trauma.

Children traumatised by war and its effects are quickly emerging as the latest group of vulnerable people in dire need of very urgent attention. Already, living in displacement is one condition too many. 

They pray that if only the conditions that forced them into displacement could ease, it would be a huge relief and they would join the world's kids in happiness. But this is far from it. And having to survive on relief items is not the type of life that they want to face.

They require every support that will improve their wellbeing. Someone must advocate for the rights of children and that of other vulnerable groups. Beyond waiting for food and non-food items, life in displacement is among the misfortunes that kids would have liked to be very far away from. Being innocent, they are not responsible for the conflicts that have forced them out of their villages.

We draw the story of mental health in it. Mental health and trauma are steadily on the rise among the most vulnerable communities because of the effects that conflicts have had on them.

Today, a lot of organisations offer humanitarian support to vulnerable communities. But a majority of them only stop at offering food and non-food items.

Only a few are paying attention to the issue of mental health effects of the war. Probably it is because our society is not yet sure of what they can do with the increasing mental disease cases. It is said that dealing with psychological problems in many African cultures is considered a taboo.

They are not taken as health issues and so, sufferers, while attempting to find answers to their mental health questions, usually experience stigmatisation, even from the people who are meant to be care-givers. These are problems that regular psychologists should brace themselves to face in the current spate of increased violence around the world.

This is because things are set to worsen. Look at the nodding disease children. It still remains a mystery to many. Sections of communities are linking it to the effect of the LRA war that happened in northern Uganda. Apart from that, sources of trauma and mental health are varied.

Children that endure seeing their parents maimed, rank among the highest level of potential trauma sufferers. And young girls that are abducted andforced to marry rebel commanders. Also, consider other girls that are being raped daily.

Imagine the happenings in the Kasai province of the Democratic Republic of Congo and see what it means. Everybody that has at one time been displaced has experienced trauma in different ways.

So, deliberate effort is needed to ensure that traumatised children recover from their difficulties.

The suffering kids of the world must be made to know that their misfortunes are only temporary. And that the only option is to look into the future.

Then they will not be forced to flash back at their murky past. Therefore, train caregivers to handle traumatised kids under their care. They should be able to slowly ease the kids to understand their situation.

It will take some gradual wait. But eventually, the impact in the lives of traumatised kids will be good as it will re-orient them to recovery and hopefully, towards their dreams.

Writer is a civil engineer