IOM mobile psychosocial teams this week launched a major new push
to help Haitians cope with the stress caused by the January 12
earthquake, and the daily challenges of survival and rebuilding.

Over the second week of March, IOM held a series of fun-filled
opening ceremonies in settlements throughout Port-au-Prince,
featuring local dance troops, the start of community conversations,
and kite-making workshops.

IOM's work is a creative approach to support the emotional
wellbeing of Haitians through culture and craft. Eighteen
entertainers from Tchaka Dance joined 30 IOM staff members in six
five-person mobile teams, reaching an estimated 5,000 people in a
total of 23 sites. Each IOM team had a psychologist, social worker,
artistic animators, and a team leader.

Opening week activities included the "Vallée de Bourdon"
camp, a trek beyond the main road of Bourdon, Port-au-Prince.

The area, which can only be reached by foot down steep steps,
was devastated by the earthquake, and is currently home to 700
families living in tents and temporary shelters.

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Haiti

Jean-Junior Desrisier, the IOM mobile team leader in
Vallée de Bourdon, says the team divided the community into
three groups. A social worker and psychologist helped adults to
develop a support network; children were entertained by the Tchaka
dance troop; while educators helped youth express themselves
through kite making.

A group of 120 children – amongst them 7-year old
Clerville Richna, who lost her home – sang and laughed as the
Tchaka Dance troop taught them new dance moves, and sang in Creole:
"Children do you like our country; yes we do; let us put our heads
together to rebuild it."

The Tchaka Dance troop has 25 years experience in training
Haitian youth in folkloric activities and dance, and is working
with IOM to lead cultural activities at each camp.

Jean Robert, of Tchaka, said: "We travelled from camp to camp
after the earthquake, and noticed many children were not playing,
and adults were sad, so we felt that we needed to do something.
This collaboration with IOM is helping us put a smile back on
children's faces, and entertains adults. This is our way of
contributing."

After the January 12 earthquake, hundreds of thousands of
Haitian have been mourning the loss of loved ones and their homes,
with many forced to live on the streets or in ad-hoc settlements.
Some 1.2 million people are estimated to have been displaced.

 

IOM's therapeutic activities aim to help communities preserve and
rebuild former relationships – including the traditional
Haitian concept of "lakou", a place where families gather and
chat.

 

Audette Phanor, a mother who lost her house, said: "I am looking
forward to next week so we can set up a women's group to help each
other." As she watched her daughter dancing, she said, "It feels
good watching her smiling again, and I didn't even know she could
dance."

 

Youth groups have asked IOM to help them organize a weekly
remembrance of those they have lost in the quake. Ossine Richner,
an IOM educator, said: "Everyone can participate: the children
through song, dance; the youth in a more artistic way can showcase
their talent, and adults through education, to find a way to deal
with their emotions."

The programme, which is funded by the Swedish International
Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), is carried out in
cooperation with partner agencies working in the field of mental
health and psychosocial support. It aims to provide comprehensive
psychosocial first aid to some 150,000 individuals and follow-up
counselling for up to 10,000 distressed individuals over the next
five months.

For more information, please contact:

Bertrand Martin

IOM Port-au-Prince

Tel: +509 3859 8619

E-mail: "mailto:bmartin@iom.int">bmartin@iom.int