ACTIVITIES
1) TRAINING AND CAPACITY
BUILDING
PEACE provides a number of trainings
to other service providers or community members who may come into contact with
victims of trauma.
2) COUNSELLING AND PSYCHOTHERAPY
The provision of
counselling and therapeutic interventions is achieved through the establishment
of a professional trauma referral network. PEACE has obtained the commitment of
a number of psychologists and a social worker to provide services to the
Centre’s clients at a reduced fee or at no cost. Relationships with other
service providers so that client’s other needs can be met have been developed. Group work with PEACE clients also forms an
important part of our work. For more information please contact Ms. Festus on
vicky@peace.org.na
3) Broxos,
the Bridge
Broxos is an Trauma Therapy Centre for Children
established by the P.E.A.C.E Centre and the Johanniter Association
(Namibia) in March
2006 to help children who have been victims of violence, physical or
sexual abuse never get a chance for healing because they do not tell anyone.
BROXOS is additional aware of the fact, that children who have lost their parents to AIDS and have witnessed the suffering
for a long period, may also need special help.
BROXOS therefore supports afternoon care for this special group of children between 6 and 12 years. Additionally their families and care-givers are supported by social workers over the period the children stay at BROXOS.
BROXOS staff fetches the
children at noon at their schools. At
the P.E.A.C.E.
Centre they get lunch,
structured activities, homework and group therapy supervised by qualified
facilitators and therapists. Shortly after 5 o’clock they
are brought back to their
families.
The following pictures where taken at BROXOS while having different activities.
If you would like to
learn more about BROXOS or make a donation of materials or money please contact
Sheila at the PEACE centre.
4)
COMMUNITY INTERVENTION
This community-based projects' overall aim is to prevent the
incidence of trauma for the children of Freedomland (part
of Katutura, Windhoek). This is achieved through
the provision of supervised activities for the children. Many parents cannot
afford to send their children to kindergartens and as such many children in this
community are left unsupervised as their parents seek or attend employment. This
leaves the children vulnerable to becoming victims of trauma and violence.
Different activities in Freedomland involve the community members themselves and, in
some instances, volunteers.
PEACE Kids
Some children in the community are unable to attend primary school due to their parents' inability to afford the school fees. In an attempt to provide these children with an activity to do PEACE has enlisted the help of a volunteer who, with the help of a community member conducts training sessions for soccer, swimming and cycling with the children twice a week. There are approximately 15 girls and 15 boys involved in this activity.
OVC-Care-Givers
There are a number of reasons why children and young people in Namibia may be cared for by members of their extended families or by other members in their community. Apart from other factors, HIV/ AIDS have a wide range of effects on especially poor communities as parental illness and deaths leave many children vulnerable. The most appropriate place for the care of vulnerable children and orphans remain with their families and in their communities. However, as the number of children requiring care and support from extended families and/or communities increase, so the amount of stress in these communities and families increase accordingly. Increased poverty, stress, trauma, shock and stigmatisation all contribute to vicious cycles within personal, familial and social develop in communities. Many governmental and NGO services are directed at addressing the material and physical needs of communities, leaving a void in the area of psychosocial support.
Our programme for the care-givers of orphans and vulnerable children is directed specifically towards the psychological and emotional needs of people charged with increased responsibilities and stress. Psychosocial support becomes vital in situations where the emotional, social, mental and spiritual needs that are considered vital for positive human existence, are in question. Counselling and psycho-therapeutic interventions have great potential for personal empowerment as well as for reducing the violence potential and additional trauma within many vulnerable communities, groups and families. By working with groups of care-givers, as opposed to individuals, we further hope to create and enhance social networks that will continue to function within concerned communities.
If you would like to find out more about the activities or make a donation of time, materials, or money please contact Sheila at the PEACE centre.
5) AWARENESS RAISING
PEACE staff are involved with Katutura Community Radio (KCR) and make a regular
contribution, Talk it out, to “The Big Issue” magazine.
6)
RESEARCH
Research forms an integral part of all our activities; it enables us to devise
appropriate interventions and to keep adjusting our activities, ensuring
relevance. PEACE is in the process of developing a Resource Centre where members
of the public can access information on trauma.
