By Rupam Mahapatra | Project Leader
Post Cyclone Psychosocial Care
The extremely Severe Cyclone “FANI” has devastated Odisha on 3rd May 2019 causing huge loss to the infrastructure and livelihood in coastal side. Its our primary duty to support our people affected by this calamity. Disaster is a natural cause. It affects children, elderly people, women, men and different able person. Children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of this cyclone. They were very scared and traumatic condition. They have not attended in school after reopening school.
Post Disaster was very important for the communities in affected areas. So we penetrated with the support of Basic Needs India in Fani affect ted area of Puri & Khurdha district. We had drawn up a plan for psychological trauma due to the cause of cyclone in different pockets. It has been severely impacted in mental health with the communities. Basing on this, training and meeting was conducted at different level to overcome stress after disinter.
It helps individuals and communities to heal the psychological injury and rebuild social structures after a critical tragedy. It can help to change people into active survivors rather than passive victims.
In group interaction different categories people were involved like elderly, men, women, adolescents, different able person. They shared their problem during and after cyclone. They were evacuated to a safer place nearby their place. When they came back to their home they saw nothing was there . They lost lots of things. House collapsed, identity card lost, children lost their education materials, food.
Volunteers counseled to the children and they created child friendly spaces to engage children in activities for psychosocial recuperation. Through education materials and play material volunteer engaged children actively in group activities like drawing, singing, dancing, playing etc. which helped them to understand, express and cope with their own emotions. It was good impact that, children didn’t feel isolate and they went to school in a regular mode, as a result their fear tendency slowly slowly came down.
In group interaction different categories people were involved like elderly, men, women, adolescents, different able person. They shared their problem during and after cyclone. They were evacuated to a safer place nearby their place. When they came back to their home they saw nothing was there in their house. They lost lots of things. House collapsed, identity card lost, children lost their education materials, foods, household things, physically injured, psychologically also got stressed etc.
After training volunteers are tuned up in giving counseling, handle the traumatized people. Volunteers counseled to the traumatized people and children. They refer to the Govt. hospital wherever they required physically injured and referred to psychiatric doctor for treatment those are mentally ill due to Fani. Volunteers also linked people in different Govt. scheme and also linked with different other organization where they need other support like relief and other social support.
Most people recovered after group discussion and repeated counseling. Some are still needed additional support regarding mental health care. Health care providers also participated in this process. They understood this issue and supported to the communities in helping their recovery process.
Story Changes after Disaster
Sujata (name changed) is 45 year old lives in Akrakuda village. She was living with her son. She was worried and got disturbed when she got heard that her son was suffering from cancer. Her family life was totally disturbed. Slowly she felt worried and stressed. After Cyclone Fani her health was deteriorated. She disturbed with mental health. Even she couldn’t take food in time. She was giving every food to cattle. She wasn’t taking bath regularly. She was talking by herself. Someday she was inactive in doing work than before.
Through intervention, Volunteer (Akash) identified this case and discussed with Sundari and her family members. He counseled her and her family member regularly. Then Sundari went to hospital for treatment. Doctor diagnosed her and gave medicine for mental health. It was ensured that, she didn’t discontinue her medicine. Now she is taking medicine regularly.
Now she is better than before. Slowly she is doing her work. She is talking with other family members. She is active now.
Joya (name changed) is 20years old lady staying with her husband in Balabhadrapur village, Satpada. She was always sitting alone. After fani she vividly recalled scene. She scares when that comes in front of her mind. She was laughing, muttering to herself and shows some symptoms of mental illness.
Through the intervention, volunteer identified this case. Volunteer counseled her and her family. Jhansi went to doctor. Doctor diagnosed her and prescribed for medicine. She is taking medicine regularly. After taking medicines she improved radically. Follow up visit is going on regularly. Family members also taking care of her. Now she is talking with all in her house. She is improving slowly and better than before.
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