Psychological help for war traumatised children

Therapeutic-pedagogic work with war traumatised children and youngsters in the women's peace project SEKA (Center for therapy, education and recreation) in Gorazde, East Bosnia.

SEKA is a Center for therapy, education and recreation. After 10 years of work on the Adriatic Island of Brac the project moved to the town of Gorazde in Bosnia and Herzegowina in September 2007.

Even 12 years after the end of war through the Dayton-agreement the population in Bosnia and Herzegowina still suffers from the psychological and social consequences of war.
The population of the town of Gorazde is severely war traumatized - people suffered from almost four years lasting siege, shelling, and hunger. Children were - as in all wars - the most helpless and vulnerable victims. A big number of them still today are struggling with their experiences in war, as up to now there was now possibility for psychotherapeutic aid in the whole Kanton (department) Goražde.
But also children, having been born after war, grow up in an athmosphere, in which the war and the survived traumas are always present. The traumas of parents and grandparents are transfered to them.

Since September 2007 project SEKA offers (trauma)therapeutic and psycho-educative help for women and children in individual and group work.
Pedagogue and therapist Amina V .provides psychological-pedagogic assistance for children and youngsters. She offers a safe space, where they can share and overcome painful experiences, regain confidence in themselves and towards others, find solutions for actual problems and develop new perspectives of life.

As the financial base for the project is still not secured, Amina offered us, that she will volunteer in the project for the whole year 2008.
We appreciate this very much, but would like to provide her at least a small amount for food: monthly 100,- €.