Trauma: Foundation drums support for psycho-social victims
By Olasunkanmi Onifade
Trauma
Abuja, July 24, 2018 (NAN) The Executive Director, Lux Terra Leadership Foundation, Rev. Fr. George Ehusani, has called on stakeholders to pay more attention to psychosocial support for the traumatised in conflict areas.
Ehusani made the call during the presentation of certificate to participants of a basic Psycho-Trauma Healing Course organised by the foundation on Tuesday in Abuja.
He said the relevance of trauma was underestimated, saying it can cause severe damage in a person and change him or her completely.
“We are all aware of the level of trauma caused by activities of the insurgents in the country especially in the North and North central states.
“That is why this foundation thought it wise to work on affected Nigerians by counselling and training them on how to overcome trauma.
“We noticed that most international donors and NGOs just provide relief materials to affected people and forget about their psychological state,’’ he said.
Ehusani said the foundation would train social workers and trauma healers from different states to give basic counselling to people in crisis areas.
He said if the traumatised were not properly counselled, they could eventually become perpetrators of violence.
“We only pay attention to the wounds on the body; we don’t notice the invisible wounds. But internal turmoil directs people’s actions and behaviour.
“It can keep them from functioning and may lead to more violence. In many crisis situations, local people as well as international helpers focus on basic needs such as food and shelter.
“While these vital issues need to be fulfilled first, trauma should be addressed at the same time. When we bring food, we should also start talking,” he said.
Prof. Andrew Zamani of Nasarawa State University, Keffi, said that the training was important as it would increase the level of forgiveness and reduce malice in the country.
The don noted that when traumatised victims were not given adequately care, they end up perpetrating violence in the society.
Zamani therefore urged the participants to become good ambassadors of the foundation by counselling traumatised victims as the situation arises.
One of the participants, Hajia Kellu Goni, Senior Special Assistant to the Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe on Security Matters, said that the training had exposed her to see the dangers of trauma when left unmanaged.
The News agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the foundation is a training facility with the purpose of exposing leaders and potential leaders to the dynamics of purposeful, visionary, transformative and inspiring servant leadership. (NAN)
OEO/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola
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