Four months since the conflict in Gaza, Islamic Relief is providing psychosocial care to children who were traumatized by the bombings they witnessed.
Over the last two months, Islamic Relief has organized activity days in five schools from Al-Zaytoun area, which was one of the worst affected districts.
We also arranged activity days for children who have lost one or both parents, in order to ensure that some of Gaza’s most vulnerable children receive help even if they don’t have a parent who can help them recover.
The days- which are run by trained child psychologists and animators- are structured to allow children to express themselves and have fun, while helping them to reveal any hidden trauma they may be suffering.
Islamic Relief is training scores of local teachers and parents on child mental health, trauma and disorders. We also provided children with individual, group and family counselling sessions, which include role-play, storytelling and dream analysis.
Children who demonstrate any signs that may be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder are invited to Islamic Relief’s activity centre.
Muna Abed, the centre coordinator explained, “The team works with children in different ways to treat them for the problems they faced after the war, [in order] to overcome these problems and return to normal life.”
The centre runs play-based therapy for children, allowing psychologists to diagnose and treat trauma over several months, and train parents on helping their child recover.
Please donate to Islamic Relief Worldwide’s Gaza Appeal to help us keep the psychosocial centre open.
Providing mental healthcare to children is vital in helping them- and their future children- to have stable, happy lives.