Pandemic isolation has had a traumatic effect on children returning to school around the world. Because AAI is committed to helping children heal from trauma, we have added scholarships for psychology students as part of our Support for Muslim girls to become Nurses program. In the Philippines, Sulu Province is an area of deep poverty, natural disasters, and armed conflict. As part of the psychology scholar training, 20 students will provide counseling services for up to 10 elementary schools.
Children in Sulu Province, an area of deep poverty, natural disasters, and conflict, struggle with the effects of trauma and living under martial law. Post-Covid, many students have fallen behind in their studies and families are hesitant to let children attend school. We have selected 10 AAI-supported schools to do an outreach program and are sending in our psychology scholars to address the causes of trauma the students are facing.
As mental health providers, these students from diverse socio-economic communities will provide vital services to students, teachers, and families of the school children. Our goal is to get students re-engaged with their teachers and other students and to learn to identify self-confidence problems and barriers to learning. The pioneering psychology students are serving as bridges to adapt traditional cultural norms with clinical methods for sustainable mental health.
The nursing and mental health programs in Sulu are beacons of hope for the entire community. Our goal is to build a quality holistic health system accessible to all. Supported by AAI, Sulu State College and MSU students are engaging in health intervention in their communities. By addressing trauma and its effects, children can have hope for their futures. As peacebuilders, we build on trauma counseling programs following natural or other disasters and bring healing into the schools we support.
