NCC receives trauma teddies for therapy sessions |13 June 2023
The National Council for Children (NCC) in partnership with the Soroptimist International launched the Trauma Teddies project yesterday morning at the NCC’s Children’s Ark, Bel Eau, as part of activities for the Children Festival throughout the month of June.
Trauma teddies are intended to bring comfort and hope to children around the world and over 1 million children have cuddled a colourful, comforting trauma teddy since the Australian red Cross first started hand-knitting them back in 1990.
Soroptimist Seychelles adopted this project after Soroptimist Boston initiated their own trauma teddies project. The former president of Soroptimist Seychelles, Myra Labiche, said that from what she has observed, many people do not know how to deal with trauma especially children. “It is hard to deal with an issue which you cannot discuss openly and sometimes you need a little something more to help you open up. This is what a trauma teddy can do for a child,” she said.
She also stated how this was a great initiative because it was not only helping children but also the adults who are working them, because children opening up, allow the adults to know the cause of their trauma and thus identify the proper method to use with them.
The Soroptimist Boston club with other associates have donated a total of 53 trauma teddies.
NCC’s chief executive, Yasmin Umarji, said that they had wanted to do this project for therapists mostly, to help them create a more conducive and friendly environment for the children they are working with.
“The reason we have chosen trauma teddies is because it helps children, they interact with it, makes them feel at ease to express their thoughts. It acts as a communication object between the therapist or any adult and the child,” she explained.
The trauma teddies have been distributed to different organisations and sectors including the Ministry of Education and the social services department.
Yesterday’s ceremony also featured performances by a group of primary students from Bel Eau school.
Text & photo by Diane Larame