JINHA

AMED- 25 volunteer psychologists from Sur Municipality and NGO have supported the children and families who suffer a severe trauma due to the war in the Sur district of Diyarbakır.

For 107 days, siege and onslaught have continued in the Sur district of Diyarbakır. Children, who witnessed the dozens of deaths and destruction and lived under the sound of bombs, need psychological support. Sur Municipality and NGOs started a work for the children and families from Sur. The Education and Science Workers' Union (EĞİTİM SEN), Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (THİV), City Council, Sur Municipality and Psychological counselors Association started a support project with 25 volunteer psychologists to help the children. The psychologists have reached 850 children and 5,000 families until now.

Aycan Diril, a psychologist and Eğitim Sen women's Assembly, said, "We hear the sound of bombs and we will try to support the children who have to sleep with the sound of bombs.Our aim is to form a solidarity group."

Aycan said that they have reached 850 children until now, "We organized some programs for the children and families. Our first aim in the program is drama techniques, expression of emotions, psychological strength and endurance, transformative and emancipatory psychosocial support. We have carried out a study in the Bağlar district. We haven't reached all children yet. We will try to reach all children in Bağlar, Kayapınar and Sur.

"Children sit near door with their coats. Children aged 10 to 16 piss theirselves. Some said, "I am not scared," but they draw pictures of bombs and weapons. Some doesn't want to go school while some has nightmares. However, some children are stronger than us. I mean that children are stronger when they understand what is going on around them."

Aycan also stated that this program will be continued in Nusaybin, Cizre and Şırnak soon.

(ea/gc/gd)