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AEGIS European Conference on African Studies
11 - 14 July 2007
African Studies Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Resilience and psychosocial care of the vulnerable children and adolescents
| Panel |
72. Enhancing resilience in orphans and vulnerable children
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| Paper ID | 763 |
| Author(s) |
Sezibera, Vincent
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| Paper |
No paper submitted
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| Abstract | The genocide and the consequences of the HIV / AIDS make of Rwanda a country which counts a strongest proportion of orphans. The last population census in Rwanda (in August, 2002) revealed that, on a population of 8.128.553 inhabitants, 50 % are children of less than 18 years. Among these, at least 30 % are orphans (of father, mother or both). An important proportion of these orphans are children heading household (CHH), that is those who live in households without the guardianship of an adult.
The consequences of the genocide and the HIV / AIDS expose the children of Rwanda to a social and psychological vulnerability. The needs of such children are multiple: accommodation(housing), food, care of health, schooling, protection, etc.; and the psychological wounds are important: traumas of the genocide, the traumatic mourning of the relatives(parents) killed due to the genocide or the HIV / AIDS.
Estimating the psychological vulnerability after the genocide, clinical and empirical data account for high level of psychological distress, of which the confusion of post-traumatic stress disorder( PTSD) in a population of young adults survivors of the genocide.
Considering the socio-cultural context of Rwanda (tradition, culture, habits and customs) and the importance of the damages of the genocide and HIV/AIDS, the community approach may be recommended to care for the vulnerable children and adolescents in that post-conflict situation . Psychosocial interventions are developed in Rwanda to support the efforts of these children to guarantee their physical and psychological development and their well-being.
This paper is presenting studies on the psychological distress, PTSD and the factors interplaying in that pathological development; with more emphasis on the initiatives being undertaken in Rwanda. Besides a classic psychotherapies, the psychosocial approach is proposed to enhance resilience and trigger harmonious physical and psychological development.
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