A United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) assessment, conducted with its partners, has revealed that about 67% of children affected by the floods caused by Storm ‘Daniel’ in Derna and the Green Mountain regions of eastern Libya in September 2023 exhibited negative behavioral changes since the disaster.
Furthermore, 48% of these children are in dire need of continuous mental, psychological, and social support.
UNICEF highlighted the post-emergency implications in eastern Libya in a statement released on Thursday.
The storm, which struck on the night of September 9th, caused the collapse of two dams in the heart of Derna and the Green Mountain areas, severely impacting the lives of residents.
The catastrophe not only changed the city’s landscape but also resulted in thousands of deaths and left deep scars in the community, with children being among the most affected as their worlds were turned upside down in a matter of hours.
In response to the disaster, UNICEF, in partnership with the Scouts and Guides in Derna and funded by Japan, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland, launched a comprehensive initiative for mental, psychological, and social support to assist children.
UNICEF established 16 mobile teams to offer mental health and psychosocial services, prioritizing displaced children, those unaccompanied by guardians, and children directly affected by the floods.
As a result, 72,000 affected children were reached through various partners on the ground to provide mental health services and psychosocial support.
Islam Al-Sunusi, a leader of the Scouts and Guides team, said, “Our mission is to reach children affected by the crisis, to restore normalcy to their lives, and empower them to overcome the trauma.”
UNICEF’s program focuses on creating safe spaces for children to express their feelings, engage in educational and recreational activities, and receive guidance from trained specialists.
By enhancing resilience and providing ongoing support, the organization aims to ensure that children can overcome their grief, rebuild their confidence, and adapt to the new realities of their lives.
