Healing with Art and Music: Nablus' Refugee Youth

"In drama, I can embody characters I wish were present in my life", said Muhammad from Balata camp.

Muhammad is a child with an innate sense of leadership. However, this trait can come out as  possessiveness and a reluctance to share. His resistance to accepting others as leaders and his volatile reactions caused him to struggle to connect with his peers. 

TYO's new Arts & Drama classes began as a means of emotional healing and self-discovery. In the initial stages of the program, Muhammad's behavior remained erratic. He exhibited a need for control, often attempting to dominate his surroundings through forceful actions and language. However, under my guidance as his teacher, we delved into techniques aimed at fostering self-awareness and emotional regulation.

Through activities such as drawing exercises, Muhammad's expressed his inner turmoil. While he depicted himself externally with precision, he illustrated his inner life with dark, discordant imagery. Similarly, in Drama class, Muhammad gravitated towards roles of authority, embodying characters that mirrored his desire for dominance. However, as the program progressed, Muhammad's rigid attitudes softened.

When I sit with Muhammad to talk, I feel there are things that bother and sadden him. Muhammad told me “When I speak and no one responds because I'm young, I feel very sad and I can't find anyone who will listen to me.” But after the Art classes, he said he has found other ways to express himself: “I became able to say things in different ways to my friends and others around me, and I support my classmates when I see them sad.”

With patient encouragement, Muhammad gradually embraced collaboration, relinquishing his reluctance to work alongside female peers and accepting guidance from me and other teachers. Through role-playing exercises, he assumed the role of a mentor to his peers in need and discovered the transformative power of empathy. Immersed in the world of theater, Muhammad found solace in embodying characters that resonated with his own needs, allowing him to explore facets of his identity otherwise suppressed.

The impact of these interventions has extended to Muhammad's academic performance and social interactions. It is evident the profound effect of artistic expression on his emotional well-being. With a newfound sense of self-worth and empathy, he’s cultivating healthier relationships with his peers, connecting with others around him facing similar struggles, and fostering an environment of mutual support and understanding, where he no longer feels isolated and finds different ways to express his emotions.

Muhammad's story showcases the importance of Arts to enhance the development of refugee children. Their therapeutic power helps overcome adversity and build resilience for generations to come. When we invest in such initiatives, we pave the way for a brighter, more inclusive future, where every child has the opportunity to thrive both physically and psychologically.