Moving Forward (Psychosocial Support and Vocational Training for Youths who are victims of War)
Date Published:
Non-state armed groups (NSAG) in the NW/SW Regions of Cameroon have been in armed conflict with the central government for over eight years now. The on-going conflict has left hundreds of thousands homeless and of displaced. The most vulnerable of whom are the children and youths who are exposed to displacement, loss of childhood, torture and exposure to violence, which are all contributing factors leading to poor mental health and compromised futures.
Most of these children will find it very difficult to follow-up any curriculum because of the loss of so many study hours (years) if something is not done. Training and job creation have been the most successful keys to be used to solve this dilemma in many other similar contexts.
The number of adolescent youth who are being recruited either voluntarily or by coercion is escalating on a daily bases, either because of ideology or because of the absence of viable alternatives, given the abject poverty in which most displaced families find themselves in host communities. Many girls are now joining kidnaping gangs and militia groups where they might most likely end up as sex slaves, spawning children they will most likely abandon or be forced to leave behind if forced to move.
The experience of psychological trauma from war can greatly impact an adolescent’s life. Research shows there are significant short-term and long-term effects of experiencing trauma. These effects have been found to be heightened in humanitarian settings. Successful solutions for mental health support of adolescents have been found to be peer group support, expressive arts, self-esteem support, and vocational education opportunities.
The long-term consequences of the this situation is being faced more by youths, include but are not limited to destroyed homes and shattered families which will all combine to compromise the healthy and productive livelihoods of these trauma victims.
Our wish is to provide provide psychological support to youths who have been directly involved in the conflict as members of NSAG (Non State Armed Groups) as well as Vocational training for most who have not ben to school for the past eight years, in order to help re-integrate them into our communities and provide them with a means for them to MOVE FORWARD with their lives through skills training.
Most of these children will find it very difficult to follow-up any curriculum because of the loss of so many study hours (years) if something is not done. Training and job creation have been the most successful keys to be used to solve this dilemma in many other similar contexts.
The number of adolescent youth who are being recruited either voluntarily or by coercion is escalating on a daily bases, either because of ideology or because of the absence of viable alternatives, given the abject poverty in which most displaced families find themselves in host communities. Many girls are now joining kidnaping gangs and militia groups where they might most likely end up as sex slaves, spawning children they will most likely abandon or be forced to leave behind if forced to move.
The experience of psychological trauma from war can greatly impact an adolescent’s life. Research shows there are significant short-term and long-term effects of experiencing trauma. These effects have been found to be heightened in humanitarian settings. Successful solutions for mental health support of adolescents have been found to be peer group support, expressive arts, self-esteem support, and vocational education opportunities.
The long-term consequences of the this situation is being faced more by youths, include but are not limited to destroyed homes and shattered families which will all combine to compromise the healthy and productive livelihoods of these trauma victims.
Our wish is to provide provide psychological support to youths who have been directly involved in the conflict as members of NSAG (Non State Armed Groups) as well as Vocational training for most who have not ben to school for the past eight years, in order to help re-integrate them into our communities and provide them with a means for them to MOVE FORWARD with their lives through skills training.
