|
Bangladesh: Child Friendly Spaces After Cyclone Sidr |
|
|
|
Emergencies
|
|
Mongla ADP of World Vision Bangladesh opened a Child Friendly Space for children, to help bring them to normal life by reducing their trauma and frustration caused by the recent cyclone Sidr.
|
By Amio Ascension, Communications WV Bangladesh
When Cyclone Sidr struck Bangladesh in November, tens of thousands of children watched bewildered as their houses, schools and communities were destroyed.
World Vision sponsored Mahfuzur Rahman, eight, is one of these children, now attending a Child Friendly Space in World Vision's Mongla development programme. These spaces are designed to help children find a sense of normal life, reducing their trauma and frustration after disaster or displacement.
There are 33 children in Mahfuzur's centre.
"We love to come to this centre. We have dolls, toys, and different other items to play with. Together we pass nice time here. This is different from our house. I love to come here," says Mahfuzur happily.
He remembers well what happened on the night of November 15, 2007. He spent the terrible night with his grandmother inside the concrete building of a local leader. Branches of trees and flying corrugated iron sheets from other roofs were slamming against the windows.
"I was trying to sleep on the lap of my grandma. As the night got later, the wind's speed intensified. I saw our older guardians' frightened eyes. From their tensions I understood what was happening was just horrifying. So, I was very frightened," Mahfuzur says.
Mahfuzur's grandma could not sleep, too. "My grandma was telling us to call Allah (God)," the little boy recalls.
"I was listening how tree branches and other things were falling on to the wall and windows of the house, where we sheltered. Falling of such things and their sound exaggerated my fear," Mahfuzur says.
Mahfuzur is the youngest in his large family. His father died when he was just one year old. His older brothers, Masudur and Mizanur, support the family by working as day labourers and fishermen. They had heard and reacted to the storm warning a day before.
"From World Vision disaster training we knew that children and elderly are to be moved first to safer places," explains older brother Masudur, aged 26. "So we moved our youngest brother (Mahfuzur) and grandmother to our union's former chairman's house."
Earlier, when the danger signal was announced 10, World Vision and other organization's staff and volunteers started visiting peoples' houses and told them to move to shelter or stronger houses - whatever they could find.
The cooking house and living hut of Mahfuzur's family were damaged by the cyclonic storm, but evacuation saved their lives.
"Whenever there are danger signals, World Vision people always make us aware using a loudspeaker and by visiting houses," Mahfuzur says.
Since then, World Vision has opened two child-friendly spaces in Mongla, and nine in total throughout their working areas affected by Cyclone Sidr.
Inside, the children are able to switch off from their worries and concerns. The centres also act as transition school, so children can continue learning before they return to their formal education system.
Local sports and games, counseling, cultural events, normal educational and healthcare support are major activities of the centre.
A typical day includes indoor games, singing, drawing/painting and other creative activities, story telling, some sharing of life skills and health education, plus help with studies.
"I love most to play with the small cars," Mahfuzur says before running off to play once more.
|
