Through Pictures and Education, the Trauma of Children Victims of the Aceh Tamiang Flood is Slowly Recovered

JAKARTA - The floods that hit Aceh Tamiang Regency not only left behind physical damage, but also left a deep psychological impact, especially for children.

The post-disaster recovery process is not enough with material assistance, but needs to be balanced with trauma healing so that victims, especially children, can feel safe and confident again in carrying out daily activities.

The effort is being continued by the Health Reserve Force (TCK) Volunteers of the Ministry of Health through integrated health services for disaster-affected residents in Aceh Tamiang. One of the main focuses is psychosocial assistance for flood victims to help them recover their mental and emotional conditions.

"We are doing trauma healing for children who are victims of disasters. The activity starts with education on six steps to wash hands, then the children draw freely according to their creativity and present the results to the team," said a volunteer from the Ministry of Health, Wandi, confirmed in Jakarta, Wednesday.

The trauma healing activity was carried out at the Al-Falah Mushola Mosque, Malang Village, Mekar Jaya Village, Rantau District. Wandi explained, this activity involved a cross-professional team consisting of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, environmental health workers, health promotion and education personnel, and professional organizations.

He added that every child who participated in the activity received appreciation for their work as part of psychosocial support to rebuild self-confidence.

"All the pictures of the children are good, so we give them all a gift. Hopefully the children will feel happy, more confident, and slowly recover from the trauma caused by the disaster," he said.

In addition to trauma healing activities for children, volunteers from the Ministry of Health also provide health counseling to mothers and families. The materials presented include the health of pregnant women, preparation for childbirth, child care patterns, to free medical services for those in need.

One of the residents of Mekar Jaya Village, Nuria, expressed his appreciation for the presence of the Ministry of Health TCK volunteers in his area. According to him, trauma healing activities have a positive impact on children who have long been affected by floods and cannot go to school.

"Our toddlers are very happy because they haven't been to school for a long time. They are happy to draw and color. We who are sick also get free treatment. Thank God, this attention makes us feel cared for and stronger in dealing with post-disaster conditions," he said.

Through this series of trauma healing and health education services, the Ministry of Health TCK Volunteers hope to help restore the psychosocial condition of children and families, as well as strengthen the resilience of the Aceh Tamiang community in facing the impact of future disasters.