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To provide children with adequate psychosocial support, representatives from various sectors came together to hold creative play sessions for children survivors of the landslide in the City of Naga.
The three-day activity held last Oct. 4 to 6, 2018 was conducted by the Dolores Aboitiz Children’s Fund of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI-DACF), KIDSLIFE Foundation (KIDS Learning Initiative and Family Education), and volunteers from different sectors.
The children enjoyed social interaction with their peers through different creative play activities such as playing with thread dolls, coloring, and drawing. The children were also treated to afternoons of singing, dancing, and story reading.
Play therapy is important for children, especially for those who recently experienced trauma-inflicting events, as it could help them express themselves through different activities.
Before the actual sessions, RAFI volunteers were trained to conduct the intervention program for the children. The volunteers were taught the Waldorf kindergarten program that introduced healthy rhythms of indoor and outdoor play activities, games, songs, and snacks. Specifically, it included art activities like free drawing with crayons, watercolor painting, and crafts; circle time with songs, verses, and movement; snacks and hygiene (washing of hands), outdoor free play, and games.
The session ended with a healing puppet show. Healing stories with puppetry accompanied by meaningful rituals and songs aim to create a feeling of safety and security, helping the child victims re-orient themselves again.
The Dolores Aboitiz Children’s Fund of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI-DACF) aims to improve Early Childhood Care and Development condition at the grassroots level by providing capabilities to the Local Government Units to effectively track children’s development and by constructing quality early learning centers. Its Grants Program also supports initiatives promoting the welfare and development of children in all ages.
