National Kids in Distress project.

The Christian Children's Fund (CCF), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the Government of Sierra Leone came together in a unique national collaborative effort and created the Kids in Distress (KIDS) Project to address the psychosocial problems of children under the age of 18 years throughout Sierra Leone. As a consultant with Taylor Institute, I was hired to implement this Project under the CCF. The specific goal of the Project is "to increase the capacity of community-based health, social service and education staff working with children and youth living in war-torn Sierra Leone", through a national training plan. By increasing the capacity of over 1,400 adults to help children cope with the stress of chronic war, the KIDS Project aims to significantly reduce both the short- and long-term effects of psychological trauma by bringing a blend of intervention, treatment and prevention to these children and their families.

The effects of violent trauma can persist throughout one's life if one does not deal with it. Children can hold on to anger, frustration, rage and guilt for some time, not knowing exactly what to do with it or how to express it. Without intervention, children exposed to violence may end up acting out the violence again. To adequately deal with psychological trauma, children must be encouraged to freely relate their experiences in a trusting and safe environment. An all important factor is the adult's attitude of respect and acceptance of the children and their story of what happened to them, including how they feel emotionally about it. Therefore, providing support to community workers, parents and other adults working in situations of armed conflict is an integral part of KIDS.

The KIDS Project was launched in May 1996 by the Vice President of Sierra Leone and the Ministers of Education, Health, Social Welfare, Youth and Sports, and Gender and Children Affairs, along with the UNICEF Representative and the CCF's Country Director. As this was one of the first formal functions for the newly-elected Government, their official support of psychosocial needs of children made the news. Our advocacy efforts were clear as each one delivered speeches about the horrible effects of violence on children and the psychosocial needs that must be addressed as a result. These speeches became part of the government's policy. The Project was able to accomplish a great deal more with the blessings of these top officials.

During the year of working with the children, we would hear their stories, see their drawings, watch their dances, and play their games. We might also sing songs, bang drams and cry together. As we developed relationships, more and more of the horrors enfolded. Children were able to express themselves through songs, stories, plays and pictures. We watched them become more confident and creative in just the few sessions we had with them. They thrived on the positive attention and care they received.

The 25 May coup d'etat disrupted the peace which was gradually returning to Sierra Leone. This situation resulted into a state of anarchy with rebels taking over the capital, Freetown. This is characterized by skirmishes, violence, looting, killing and dismemberment of corpses, raping, continuous firing and shelling. In response, workers all over the country have resorted to civil disobedience. This has exacerbated the dangers to which the children and youths have already been exposed to, as well as severing the renewed relationships. Recovery efforts, of which the KIDS Project was one, were severely impacted. CCF evacuated its national staff, including the KIDS Project staff, for safety reasons and has relocated them in Guinea. They have been an integral part of developing interagency strategies with UNICEF Sierra Leone for interventions in the country and are anxious to restart and expand activities as soon as security permits.

As we all experienced the direct impact of a traumatic event, it was necessary to go through a period of debriefing ourselves. It was quite evident from these exercises that the trainers took the knowledge they had and applied it to their own situation. They understood the symptoms of stress and trauma among each other and family members, and worked to help the larger group. Even the events of 25th May coup and those of the subsequent days could not take away what these trainers had internalized.

As the situation in Sierra Leone has deteriorated, the children once again are put into the vulnerable high risk category for needing essential humanitarian aid, as well as emergency phase psychosocial interventions. We are now ready to begin the emergency phase direct services to demobilized former child soldiers in Sierra Leone, displaced and unaccompanied children, as well as to train others who will have longer-term interactions with these children. We also hope to work with the children in displaced camps in Sierra Leone, as well as the refugees in Guinea.

In order to meet the specific goal of the Project, as well as meet the new crisis brought about by the coup, KIDS will endeavour to help the trainees and community-based workers to:

* Recognize psychological trauma in children and youth who have been exposed to the violence of war.

* Assist children and youth, who are victims, witnesses or perpetrators of violence, to express their feelings and develop coping strategies that enable them to understand and integrate their experiences.

* Cope with their own feelings about death, loss and the violence of war, and deal with the stress resulting from working in dangerous environments.

* Build ongoing social support systems into the daily fabric of the community to include a linked intervention strategy that provides a blend of protection, treatment and prevention.

The KIDS Project curriculum includes skills to make "Children Zones of Peace" which may help in stopping the cycle of violence that promote peaceful solutions to the problems in Sierra Leone.