Trauma Healing to Benefit 38,400

“The trauma healing training program is promoting stabilization processes and social healing in Mogadishu.”
- Mayor of Mogadishu
 
800 trained trauma healers will support 38,400 Somalis across Mogadishu
 
TIS and the Benadir Administration have trained 800 Somalis in trauma healing and social reconciliation in Mogadishu.
 
Trauma healing is critical for residents of Mogadishu who are emerging from 21 years of civil conflict. Khadija Isse, one of the trauma healing trainers, remarked, “When you see the horrendous effects on buildings, roads and trees in Mogadishu, it is unbearable. But these are small complaints compared to the effects war has had on people’s minds. Once trauma healing is done, people can start to heal. When you build people, the people will rebuild the country.”
 
32 master trainers and 10 Transitional Federal Government officials were trained on trauma healing, who in turn trained an additional 800 volunteers from all 16 districts within Benadir.
 
Participants learned how to identify, explore, and overcome traumatic experiences and provide support for survivors of civil conflict. A graduation ceremony marked the end of the training. During the event, participants performed poetry, drama, and music for attendees, which included the President, Internal Security Minister and the Mayor of Mogadishu.
 
The Mayor announced that trauma healing should be a top priority for the Somali people: “This training program has promoted stabilization processes and social healing in Mogadishu. I have personally been healed because of these trainings.”
 
Each volunteer will now go back to his or her district and support a total of 38,400 Somalis in social reconciliation.
For questions, please contact: Cael Savage, TIS Program Manager csavage@usaid.gov

 

Issuing Country 
Date 
Tuesday, May 5, 2015 - 2:30pm