TRAUMA SUPPORT PROJECT IN SOLOMON
ISLANDS
- Fr. Ambrose Pereira
sdb, Director Catholic Communications Solomons
HONIARIA: 26th January
'04 -- Solomon Islands is emerging from the recent ethnic tension that
has left several persons traumatized by violence, destruction and fear. “It has reached its lowest and most
challenging time”, states Bernard Garo, Parish Coordinator at St. Mary’s Parish,
Tanagai. As it limps back to its
original ‘Hapi Isles’ it needs a multi pronged approach. A trauma support group is one of
them.
“I am indeed the ‘lucky one’ chosen for
this programme and am definite that it will help me, youth, individuals and
families in dealing with the problems of my parishioners”, states Fr. Jack
Aitorea, Anglican Pastor at Vura. “
My grateful thanks to all”.
“I now have the tools to help the
prisoners traumatized during the last 4 years”, states Gibson Ado, from the
Prison Service.
“New Ideas, approaches and
techniques have given me an opportunity to examine the way I function as a
Trauma support worker. I realize
that body language, words and tone matter much” states Sandra Ollie Porana.
12 participants at Don Bosco
House of Prayer, Kola Ridge continue preparations as Trainers for the Trauma
Support Workers Training Project.
The programme commenced on 19th January and will conclude on 27th
January, 2004. It has been financed
by Caritas Australia and supported by the Archdiocese of Honiara. It aims to train people who will train
local community participants as trauma support workers form the weather coast of
Guadalcanal. Listening skills,
techniques on questioning and how to read person’s feelings through body
language have been much appreciated by the participants.
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