Earlier this month, the UN High Commissioner for refugees Antonio Guterres stated that the Syrian crisis was the worst the world had seen in 20 years. Every day, Syrian families flee the war, bringing along children who have witnessed unspeakable violence. In the Child-Friendly Space (CFS) and Youth Friendly Space (YFS) supported by the European Commission through the Nobel Peace Prize fund in Domiz camp, near the border with Syria in Northern Iraq, ACTED is dedicated to soothing the psychological distress of those children and to help build their future.
This time last year, 7,000 Syrians seeking refuge in Iraqi Kurdistan had settled in the governorate of Dohuk, only sixty The children’s wellbeing is at the heart of ACTED’s activities in Domiz. © ACTEDkilometers away from the border. One year on, the number of refugees registered by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in the governorate has exceeded 100,000. Forty percent reside in Domiz camp, covering 143 hectares of arid land in the middle of the stunning landscape of Kurdistan’s mountains.
Entering Domiz camp, an ocean of tents stretches as far as eye can see, tightly framed between a sky so low it seems to be at one with the earth, and short-lived sand storms rising from the ground. The camp only has five schools, and most children living in Domiz do not have access to formal education. With the term over, regular schools have closed down. On the road that hosts most of the camp’s educational spaces, the CFS and YFS run by ACTED stand out, with their semi-permanent structures painted in bright green and blue and are still running activities during the summer. Children seem to have taken over this part of the camp: they run around, play or chat, firmly holding on to their schoolbag.
Ensuring a safe environment for a decent childhood
Despite the trauma associated with displacement, life goes on in Domiz, and a variety of methods have been deployed to ensure Syrian children maintain a sense of normality, as they participate in recreational activities and have access to a normal education. Creative expression and drama are used to foster awareness amongst children on various topics. For example, on World Refugee Day, June 20th, children showcased a play on the theme of environmental protection and the importance of keeping the camp clean. In July, ACTED’s staff launched a 10-week drama programme on gender-based violence, providing children with some vital information on equality, as more and more accounts of young girls being forced into marriage are reported in Domiz.
Every day in the CFS and YFS, children display symptoms of psychological distress: a boy mentions he cannot sleep because of his nightmares; a young girl isolates herself from the rest of the group; an adolescent seems unable to concentrate, stricken by flashbacks of the shelling in his hometown. ACTED’s social workers have been trained in innovative psychological methods to help vulnerable children and youth deal with trauma, without ever losing sight of The CFS is about allowing children to also play, laugh and dance. © ACTEDbrighter horizons. Social workers concentrate on adversity-activated development in children, and help youth to individually reflect on their heritage, their current situation but also on their dreams and hopes, by drawing a “Tree of Life”. After all, the CFS is about allowing children to also play, laugh and dance.
The children’s wellbeing is at the heart of ACTED’s activities in Domiz, and efforts are continuously made to ensure those refugee children grow and develop in the best possible environment. For today at least, children are busy admiring tree sprouts making up their new garden and playing on the swing ACTED has set up there since the beginning of the summer. The 2012 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the EU for its achievements in peace on the European continent. The EU decided to dedicate the Nobel Peace Prize to children who are denied the chance of growing up in peace, by funding humanitarian projects providing children in conflict situations with education. ACTED and the European Union are working together to help conflict-affected children in the Domiz Syrian refugee camp in northern Iraq put a smile back on their face.