A bag full of hope
How psychosocial support kits are helping children in flood-affected Pakistan cope with stress and trauma
Shaheed Benazirabad, Sindh: Sometimes, Muhammad Ehsan (7) seems to silently stare at nothingness only he can explain. Only if he could. “No one should see what my innocent boy had to witness,” says Ehsan’s mother Rehana (32) in a broken voice as tears roll down her cheeks.
If you see Ehsan from a distance when he is playing with his friends and peers, you will not be able to guess the strength and resilience he has shown in getting here.
In July 2022, Ehsan’s home in Syed Ibrahim Shah village was hit by the massive floods that impacted one-third of Pakistan, affecting more than 30 million people – over half of them women and children. Ehsan’s family had to seek shelter on the nearest higher grounds to escape the deadly floodwater. They were surrounded by villagers running from the flood. Ehsan’s younger siblings were in the safety of his mother’s company as he and his brother Farhan, a year older than Ehsan, followed the father. They were crossing a railroad.
Amid the chaos, the two young boys were separated from the family and were crossing the railway track all by themselves. Suddenly, a train sped through. All Rehana and her husband Muhammad Mithal could see in the aftermath of the roaring engine and bogies passing by was a shaken Ehsan standing near the track. “No yelling could bring Farhan back,” says Rehana. He was no more.
Ehsan was never the same again. Within a few weeks, the child whose joyous energy often led his mother to believe that he was going to be the most mischievous one lost his ability to speak and hear. “If we were not struggling to survive, I would have paid more attention to Ehsan’s condition,” Rehana recalls. By the time the family came out of mourning Farhan’s loss, Ehsan’s condition had deteriorated. “The doctors said his brain is dark now. They said his nerves have blackened,” Rehana tries to describe what the doctors told her. The effect of the trauma was so profound that Ehsan even lost the energy to be a child. “I would often find him just still, almost breathless,” recalls Rehana.
A month later, villagers slowly returned to their homes. One day, the community was gathered by a few visitors from an organization. “They said they were from UNICEF,” Rehana shares as she speaks about UNICEF-supported teams working in flood-affected areas to help children cope with the effects of the disaster. “They spoke about mental health and how to deal with stressed children,” she adds.
These UNICEF deployed teams from partner organizations with expertise in child psychology and counseling visited village after village in flood-affected areas. With psychologists onboard, the teams were equipped with subject knowledge and UNICEF-provided psycho-social support (PSS) kits – bags procured with generous funding from DP World (a leader in global end-to-end supply chain logistics headquartered in the United Arab Emirates) that are also called Happy Family Kits for families with children aged 3 to 17 years. Designed to help children cope with the impact of the floods and to assist parents and caregivers to engage with children through play and fun, these kits contain guidance books, board games, toys, playdough, and other items to engage children in physical activities such as a skipping rope, tennis balls, etc. The materials in the kits target children’s different elements of wellbeing and development: family connection, stress management, creativity and focus, and physical exercise. The teams held sessions with communities wherein they widely engaged them on protecting children from all forms of violence, exploitation, abuse and neglect. The sessions also covered mental health, explaining the need and sharing guidance to address children’s mental health challenges.
Following the initial session, Rehana sought assistance from the UNICEF-supported project team for Ehsan's case. Child Protection case workers promptly engaged with Ehsan, providing his family with a PSS kit. They also guided Rehana on how to interact with Ehsan and address his needs as a child coping with trauma. Rehana expresses, "The kit was a bag full of hope for us." Regular play sessions ensued, and Ehsan's energy gradually returned. Although he can now read his mother's lips and communicate in limited words, doctors recommend a hearing aid to manage his condition. “If not for this bag and the sessions, my son would have further drowned into silence,” says Rehana.
Now, Ehsan plays with other children. He wants to go to school. However, challenges have not ended here for the family. Schools for children with special needs are not easily accessible in Pakistan, especially in a rural community where Ehsan and his family live. There is also the concern about his hearing. Rehana and Muhammad Mithal, despite their modest income of less than 50 US dollars a month, are diligently saving to acquire the costly hearing aid. "I will do whatever is in my power to ensure my child's well-being," Rehana is resolute.
