Dear friend,
When disaster strikes, the tangible damages are always visible. Humanitarian aid is rushed to provide shelter when homes are destroyed, education when schools are damaged, and emergency relief when basic services are disrupted.
Yet, the mental health of people who have experienced or continue to experience crises goes unnoticed — and often unaddressed.
Mercy Corps is helping people affected by conflict find ways to cope and process trauma.
Below is a story of a family in Ukraine who has participated in our mental health programs. You can also read more on our website about how we’re supporting families in Ukraine who were forced to flee their homes or live under the constant threat of war.
Yuliia, her 6-year-old daughter Hanna*, and her 8-year-old daughter, Ruslana, stand in front of a community center where Mercy Corps provides mental health support.
Yuliia (name changed for safety), a mother of three children in Ukraine, was forced to evacuate when war reached her hometown. Away from home and worried for her and her children’s safety, they spent five months living in an underground shelter.
During that time, they heard gut-wrenching air raid sirens and loud explosions. Yuliia says, "I was very scared. I would like to keep my children somewhere, to hide them somewhere. And even now, I feel very uneasy because... it’s hard, very hard."
Yuliia and her three children have returned home but are still traumatized by what they’ve experienced. Her children have started participating in Mercy Corps’ art therapy classes. They’re building friendships with other children and are starting to feel safer and happier.
For Yuliia — and many other parents facing similar challenges — Mercy Corps is providing adults with psychological group sessions. These sessions allow her to process her experience and connect with other mothers in her community.
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"I can express everything that bothers me here — in my family, with my husband, this whole situation of war, and I feel very light-hearted afterwards."
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Across the globe, parents, children, and community members are enduring tragedies and crises that take a devastating toll on their mental health. The effects can lead to depression, anxiety, family dysfunction, and more.
Mercy Corps is working in communities to deliver critical support to those who have experienced trauma. Learn more about our effort to address mental health as families face war, displacement, loss, and upheaval in Ukraine.
Sincerely,
The Mercy Corps Team
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