Youth project for providing psychological support to children launched

Lattakia, SANA – A number of young volunteers organized a project called “Color Your Summer with Us” which aims at providing psychological and moral support for children in temporary housing centers in Lattakia.

The three-month program is split into two parts; one targeting children ages 9 to 12, and the second targeting children ages 13 to 16, with the activities including providing psychological support, first aid and general health principles courses, and football and basketball training.

Project coordinator Rahaf Haroun told SANA that the initiative seeks to both create positivity in children and raise awareness among them, so that they can help themselves and others around them in a manner suitable to their ages.

She said that by the end of the project, hopefully all the children involved in it will be able to administer first aid to themselves and those around them in case they suffer small wounds, burns, insect stings, or other small accidents.

Haroun said that by the end of the project, a football team and a basketball team will be formed with the goal of having it compete against other local children’s teams.

The first aid training team’s coordinator Nasser Taftafeh said that their goal to raise awareness among the children on personal hygiene and diet, and that the children are reacting positively to the program as more of them are joining it, with the current number of participating children being over
100, which is a good start.

The Psychological support team’s coordinator Ruba Asfour said that many of the children in housing centers have suffered severe psychological pressure, and the team is trying to help the children cope with it by motivating them to take part in useful and fun activities that allow them to be children again.

In turn, volunteer Irfan Dweidri noted that she and her fellow volunteers are approaching this initiative in a very careful manner, making the necessary preparations beforehand and working with the children in an academically-sound way because any mistake or irresponsible behavior can have a harmful effect on the children.

Hazem Sabbagh