Abuja, 24 August, 2022 / 9:55 pm (ACI Africa).
The Catholic peace and charity foundation, Denis Hurley Peace Institute (DHPI), has embarked on training of community volunteers in Nigeria’s Anambra State to equip them with psychosocial skills to provide care to mentally challenged people in the West African country.
In a Tuesday, August 23 interview with ACI Africa, DHPI Director, Johan Viljoen, said that thousands of victims of terrorist attacks in Nigeria have developed mental challenges owing to the killings and displacements they have witnessed, and are roaming the streets of Anambra without any form of psychosocial support.
To help the mentally challenged people deal with their trauma, the peace entity of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) is working with members of the Handmaids of the Holy Child Jesus (HHCJ) in Nigeria’s Catholic Diocese of Ekwulobia to equip the community volunteers with skills in handling trauma and cases of bereavement.
Mr. Viljoen said that many victims of attacks in Nigeria who have seen their homes and farms destroyed and their loved ones killed have had mental breakdowns and are now roaming the streets “as demented homeless people”.
“There is an urgent need for psychosocial support,” he said, and added, “We are training 30 community members as trauma and bereavement counselors to fill the need.”