Disaster Response Uganda Project #50153

Trauma Counseling for Child Survivors of War

by I Live Again Uganda

Trauma Counseling for Child Survivors of War

Project Report | Mar 7, 2022
The Greatest Sound

By I Live Again Uganda | Communications

The laughter of children maybe one of the best sounds in the world. After two years of schools being closed in Uganda due to COVID-19, we are perhaps just as excited as the children that schools were finally reopened at the beginning of 2022. Schools across the country have reopened and this includes schools in the refugee settlement where I Live Again Uganda is providing essential mental health services to refugees from South Sudan.

This year, we are working directly with a few schools in the refugee settlement and the surrounding community around these schools to invest directly into mental health of child refugees from South Sudan. The school's have been more than happy to invite the team of I Live Again Uganda each week to help children express and heal from the trauma they have faced due to war and their rush to find safety in Uganda.

Recently, our team had the opportunity to provide programs for a young group of refugee children (10 years of age and below) to help them build and grow in confidence. We played games, shared stories and invited them to share a story with the group. The children shared cultural stories that Elders from their tribe would share them with. Storytelling is a rich part of the culture of South Sudan. Cultural stories and storytelling are essential to not only continue to build culture and traditions, but they also hold a deep and meaningful life lesson. We heard stories of hippopotamus’, lions, elephants, snakes, chameleons and more! It was a wonderful time together where children were built up in confidence in their sharing before the group. Parents and leaders of the children were able to witness the children’s program and shared with their joy of our coming to help their children. We even had the opportunity to distribute t-shirts to children which were received with much excitement.

We cannot provide these programs without the generous support of donors.
Please know how grateful we are to hear that beautiful sound again… the sound of children laughing.

Links:

Find out more on our website!

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Nov 9, 2021
Cecilia's Story

By I Live Again Uganda | Communications

Cecila is 12 years old. She's is a child refugee from South Sudan and has been attending I Live Again Uganda's Empower Kids - Trauma Counseling Program.

"I can still remember very well the day war broke between the government and the rebels near our home. The gunshots lasted for over three days..." Cecila shared with our team.

At the time of the attack, Cecila was with her mother and her sister. As the gunshots got closer and closer to their home, they ran into the bush and a forested area to hide and find safety. Their Father was not with them. They kept wondering where he was and if he was alive.

"We didn't know where he was. We worried that he could have been killed. We stayed in the bush for two days. When things were quiet and looked calm we came out. When we arrived back at our home, we found our Father was alive! We were so happy! But, the war was still on going." A few days after that attack, Ceclia's Father encouraged her, her mother and her siblings to run to Uganda. The war was intensifying and he wasn't sure if they would be safe.

Cecila, her mother and her siblings made the long journey to the Ugandan border. From there, she and her family have come to live in the refugee settlement where I Live Again Uganda is providing Trauma Counseling Programs. She's learning healthy ways of handling what she has witnessed and been through not only in South Sudan, but as she fled with her family and is now in the refugee settlement. She's learning how to handle her emotions, to express what she has been through and what she is feeling about it all in a safe place with safe people. She's learning how forgiveness can change her life and the power of hope. She's visioning and planning for good future.

For 12 year old Cecilia, life in Uganda seems "easy because there is no war here." Her Mother has decided that it is not safe for them to return to South Sudan. Cecila, her mother and siblings have been given a small plot of land in the refugee settlement to plant some basic crops, live in a safe place and a chance to start life again.

When we asked Cecilia what her dream is for the future, she told us,
"I want to study and then one day work at ILA Uganda. Then I can help those who are hopeless and bring peace among the different tribes of South Sudan."

We cannot help Cecilia or so many other children that have survived war without your generous support.

Thank you for you support!

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Jul 21, 2021
Update From Uganda

By I Live Again Uganda | Communications

Games

I Live Again Uganda is grateful to be able to continue to support children who have survived war thanks to our generous partners!

Uganda current hosts the most refugees on the continent of Africa. With over 65% of the refugees from South Sudan being children, it is essential that we help pave the way for the positive future for each one of these children. We have been grateful to be able to serve the future of South Sudan thorugh our children's programs!

I Live Again Uganda was able to provide group counseling support as well as one on one support to child refguees. We take time to listen to the challenges they faced while still living in South Sudan and the challenges they face now living as a refugee. Despite all these challenges one of the main things we share with those we counsel is the importance of having hope and dream for the future. We have enjoyed hearing the passion from these children about their dreams to return home as Doctors, Teachers, Policemen and many more! One child told us, "My dream is that one day I will become a Doctor. Then, I will go back home and help my people."

During COVID-19, there has been an increase in domestic violence in many homes. I Live Again Uganda was able to support not only children dealing with these struggles in their homes, but also to bring counseling and support to their parents to alleviate conflicts in the home.

It wouldn't be a children's program without games and fun! I LIve Again regulary uses games to help children to not only set their minds beyond the trauma they have experienced, but also to help with collaboration, communication and teambuilding. South Sudan has struggled with tribalism. Tribalism has lead to conflict and violence, and these are the main reasons so many have fled the nation and have come into Uganda. As we play games together, we work hard to help the children recognize that every tribe has struggled and each one can work together for a better South Sudan. Games, teambuilding, sharing activies all help us achieve this.

I Live Again Uganda has been working in partnership with some schools in the refugee settlement. Recently, we were able to distribute soccer/football uniforms for an entire team, soccer balls, soccer nets, basketball nets and even a volley ball net thanks to our generous partners!

We cannot do what we do without friends and partners that stand with us, and the children we have the privilege to serve! Thank you for your support!

Distribution of Soccer Nets

ILA Staff With Students in their new uniforms.

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