Phase 2
The second team arrived safely in Adana, Turkey on February 23rd (by plane and van – from Thessaloniki, to also transfer supplies and equipment). The second group immediately started activities with children, in the Child-Friendly Spaces (CFS) that have been set up, in collaboration with the Turkish organisation SGDD-ASAM. The team implements a daily structured program of recreational and educational activities as well as continuous on-the-ground capacity building for the local organisation which will continue operating the spaces once the SN mission ends.
In detail:
- In crisis situations, adults – and especially males – dominate the living spaces established for survivors. They attempt to find practical solutions for their new reality, and at the same time scramble to process their personal and family trauma. Children, whose everyday routine and education are abruptly interrupted, are often left in an unstructured and unfamiliar environment. As a result, they are exposed to potential dangers (playing among the rubble, exposure to sexual and gender-based violence…); at the same time, they are deprived of the space and time to process their recent traumatic experience. The situation in Antakya was no exception. In this situation, one of the chief emergency needs is the establishment of Child-Friendly Spaces (CFS), operated by personnel experienced in child protection, to provide children with the safety, structure, and emotional outlet they need. SolidarityNow’s field team was deployed, and partnered with SGDD-ASAM, to provide exactly that.
- SolidarityNow staff members were present on a daily basis in three tent camps established for the earthquake-affected population, all within the Antakya metropolitan area. Upon the arrival of the second group, the physical setup of tents to host the Child-Friendly Spaces was complete in each of the three camps. The children of the camps were already visiting the CFS on a daily basis, where SGDD-ASAM and SolidarityNow staff welcomed them, and led them to play and socialize in a safe space, made for and dominated by children only.
- Among the first priorities of the SN team was to provide on-the-ground capacity building to SGDD-ASAM, capitalizing on SN’s experience in providing child protection, and especially on operating Child-Friendly Spaces, in camp settings – an environment SGDD-ASAM had little familiarity with. SolidarityNow provided practical tips for safety & security, spatial organization, child protection considerations, and, most importantly, creative ideas for activities! Gradually, a daily routine was established in all three CFS, including structured psychoeducational activities, as well as free play. The talents and experiences of SN and SGDD-ASAM staff were used to formulate the activities, which included using music, drawing, storytelling, dance & kinetic activities, and outdoor group games to address several psychoeducational goals: help children establish safe boundaries, strengthen the team spirit, express their positive and negative emotions, and slowly begin processing the trauma from the earthquakes and their new living conditions. Of course, the common thread of the activities was to allow the children to have fun together!
- Among the highlights of the activities was an interactive session on earthquake awareness, led by an SN team member who studied geology: the activity focused on explaining the earthquake’s causes (and fighting the disinformation spreading in camps), as well as providing practical tips on self-protection.
- SN team continues to closely collaborate with SGDD-ASAM which will continue the intervention upon completion of the mission. SN will support their capacity building, transferring its long-standing experience and leave relevant items and equipment in this regard.
- SN team participates in the coordination meetings with the local authorities and international organisations on the ground on a daily basis.
- A need has been identified for hygiene kits for the local population, and specifically for women living in further away, rural areas, where support and goods don’t easily reach. SN will be purchasing sanitary pads, soaps, antiseptics, toothpastes and toothbrushes, toilet paper and baby wipes.
