“No bullets. One rose for each child.”
The impact of war through children’s voices and drawings
“No bullets. One rose for each child.”
These were the powerful words of 10-year-old Majd during a psychosocial session delivered by UNICEF and partners.
It
is now two months since thousands of children were forced out of their
homes following conflict that erupted in Sudan on 15 April. Majd is one
of them.
While
they continue to find new homes, friends, and ways to cope with the new
normal, many live with scars from the horrendous experiences. Without
immediate and specialized support, the impact will affect their
wellbeing. Providing psychosocial support and catering to their mental
health remains a critical part of UNICEF’s emergency response in Sudan.
This will not only strengthen their resilience to recover from stress
and trauma but also help them to survive and thrive better.
Fun but healing activities
In
the early hours of the morning, at a gathering point in Madani that
hosts over 3,000 displaced persons, majority women and children,
children engage in fun and play activities with support from UNICEF and
partners. Through coloured drawings, they express their feelings on the
conflict and how it has impacted their lives. The fun activity brought
together both the young and older children. Using coloured markers to
better communicate their stories, majority participate. The smaller ones
scribble, it is very participatory.
The
mothers watch from a distance while requesting the facilitators to
encourage their children to speak up, communicate and share their
feelings. They know it is part of the healing journey.
“I
have my daughter. She can draw well. She has been so quiet. She needs
to communicate and socialize with people. She suffered trauma following
what we endured including the constant shooting back home,” Majd’s
mother shared.
UNICEF captured highlights from the sessions through voices and drawings of some children.
Majd doesn’t say much. She continues to suffer from flashbacks after surviving an armed attack that killed two of her closest friends, Sarah and Asrar.
While Majd appeared sad, she smiled back upon seeing the colors and paper. Without thinking twice, she quickly picked up the coloured pen and started drawing. Her drawing was a soldier brandishing a weapon with a flower-closed barrel.” She would later explain what her drawing meant – “No bullets. One rose for each child”
Today Majd wishes for peace to return to Khartoum and for the conflict to cease so that she could reunite with her family in their home. “I miss my cat and books.”
Fatima
drew a military tank. Why – “Because of the war. I saw the military
tank and soldiers while on the road to another city. There was fighting.
At home, I heard gunshots and bombs,” she shared.
Originally
from Khartoum, Fatima and her family have fled conflict twice, leaving
behind everything – first from Khartoum and later Kosti. They are now
settled in Madani which she says is much calmer.
One night while Ahmed slept soundly, he was awoken by the sound of gunshots. That day signified the start of the conflict in his hometown that continues todate. “We woke up to sound of gunshots, then it we watched it on the news,” he said.
When the situation deteriorated Ahmed, and his family were left with no option but to leave. “We gathered our belongings and went to the street to find buses. The bus brought us here.”
“During the journey, we saw dead bodies and the stench was bad that it stayed in the bus until we arrived,” Ahmed concluded.
Behind
every child affected by the conflict in Sudan is a voice and a powerful
drawing. The experiences they have endured cause stress and trauma.
Through fun activities as simple as colouring and drawing, they are
assisted to heal and cope. Through simple conversations and sharing of
experiences, they are taken through the healing process – one day at a
time.
UNICEF
and partners continue promoting mental health and psychosocial support
by providing community-led services adapted to local contexts and
implemented with the active participation of affected children, their
caregivers and families.
