Six months after the devastating floods that affected 20m people in Pakistan, the world has largely forgotten their plight. Attention has shifted to more recent events, such as the floods in Australia. But on the ground, the needs are still huge. As BBC News reported recently, countless numbers don’t even have tents, warm clothing or blankets to shield them from the cold winter weather. And UNICEF describes the situation in Sindh province as a malnutrition crisis of ‘epic proportions’, where one in five flood-affected children is malnourished.
It is hardly surprising that such massive destruction of lives, families, communities, infrastructure and livelihoods should lead to trauma. In particular, a new study by Save the Children reports that children of all ages are suffering profound psychological impacts due to the loss of reliability, cohesion and predictability. They found high levels of anxiety, depression and phobias in a sample of 60 children. To help them recover, SCF has set up 174 safe play areas in the worst-hit places, where children are supported through art therapy and group counselling as well as play activities. Seven of them tell their stories on Guardian online.
Recovery from natural disasters requires more than physical aid. It is essential to provide emotional and psychological help as well for individuals, families and whole communities so that they can heal their traumatic experiences and rebuild their lives.
No comments:
Post a Comment