M.N., the mother of nine-year-old Asyram, says her daughter has changed a lot since she used to hear the sounds of shelling in her sleep and urinated on herself at any moment of fear or agitation.
“One day, the school called asking me to come over with clean clothes for my daughter because she had wet herself in fear,” recalled M.N. “I rushed to the school and found her scared and crying hysterically. This situation kept happening and caused my daughter so much fear and embarrassment that she refused to go to school for some time.”
M.N., the mother of nine-year-old Asyram, says her daughter has changed a lot since she used to hear the sounds of shelling in her sleep and urinated on herself at any moment of fear or agitation.
“One day, the school called asking me to come over with clean clothes for my daughter because she had wet herself in fear,” recalled M.N. “I rushed to the school and found her scared and crying hysterically. This situation kept happening and caused my daughter so much fear and embarrassment that she refused to go to school for some time.”
The mother sought treatment for her daughter at the very few specialists in town until she heard about a campaign to help children traumatized by war. “I noticed that she was highly responsive and relaxed from day one,” M.N. recalled.
Protecting children enshrined in international humanitarian law
In response to the political conflict that has been gripping Libya since 2011, wreaking physical and psychological harm from the ongoing fighting, a group of specialists and officials have launched a psychological support drive for the benefit of the city’s children.
Head of Extracurricular Activity Office (EAO) at Zuwara Education Directorate Tarik Mansouri believes that child protection during times of war is a principle enshrined in international humanitarian law. “Based on this principle, we instantly accepted the idea of launching a psychological support initiative for the children of our city,” said Mansouri, who said his office had received a large number of complaints about students’ reluctance to go to school, especially during examination times.
The concept is the brainchild of psychiatrist Na’ema Gandouz who considers child psychosocial support during crises a necessary type of first aid. Accordingly, she proposed to set up a team of professional psychologists, social workers, EAO members, sports teachers, art teachers, and a number of Zuwara Scouts leaders and members, in partnership with school administrations and staff.
“Having witnessed situations in which children fled from schools in panic, I realized that all this required a major effort to allay children’s fears,” said Gandouz.
Positive results
Asyram participated in all the events organized by the campaign, which have positively reflected on her behavior and helped her process the fears caused by the noise of weapons and aerial bombardment, which intensified in the wake of recent clashes in the outskirts of the city as well as air strikes by Operation Dignity jetfighters backed by the Council of Deputies in Tobruk.
First stage
According to scout leader Ihab Awar, the first stage of the campaign was based on field visits to all city schools. After assembling students in the schoolyard, they were divided into groups, each of which performed different types of activities and carried out specific psychological tests under the supervision of psychologists and social workers who kept an updated record of students’ progress. This was followed by recreational activities including sports, painting, singing and other activities designed to amuse the participating children.
Based on these tests and previous observations of parents and teachers, pathological cases and disorders were diagnosed, such as enuresis (inability to control urination), nocturnal panic, and social aversion. These cases, argues Gandouz, must be detected and treated before they worsen and become permanent.
Diversity encouraged
What makes the campaign of more value, according to Zuwara Scouts Brigade leader Fathi Chayeb, is integrating special needs individuals into the planned activities through a childhood festival at the end of the campaign. “They are more sensitive and the war has disproportionally affected them,” said Chayeb. “Therefore, we have brought them together so that they are accepted by the other social groups, and also to instill in people that each of us has a role to play towards building a sound generation capable of giving and contributing to the building process.”
Also participating in the festival was a group of orphaned children sponsored by Our Children’s Future Foundation (OCFF). “We welcomed and were pleased with the idea,” said OCFF Vice President Wissam Shalgham. “Through sustained monitoring, we have noticed that some children have become introverted due to their social status. Their actions and behaviors have changed because of the war and they have developed aggressive militant tendencies even in their vocabulary and chosen games.”
Amazigh children were also integrated in games and competitions that were related to modern language learning techniques and helped measure children’s promptitude and entertained them through non-traditional systems, according to Assistant Head of Berber Studies Office Wiam Jbara, who supervised the festival.
Support for all ages
Khamis Bussifi, a member of Zuwara Red Crescent Society (RCS), claims the RCS has plans for similar campaigns that cover children and the older age group. “Everyone needs support,” says Bussifi.
The campaign, says Mansouri, contained awareness lectures for teachers on how to deal with students, especially those suffering from anxiety, depression and introversion. Gandouz stresses that there will be another stage to support the city’s families. “We are preparing an awareness initiative for mothers and families given that children tend to copy their mothers’ behavior and personality. Should a mother demonstrate courage, her children will be courageous too,” she argues.
Gandouz expressed her relief because the number of advanced cases that needed intensive psychiatric treatment were fewer than expected. She however believes that there is a need for a specialized psychological support center geared towards providing needed counseling for children and women as well as injured, wounded and combative youth. “Instead of only providing field workshops, we should also prepare a generation of professional psychologists and sociologists to serve in schools and all other vital places,” she said.
