Healing the emotional wounds of Haiti's children

Nine-year-old Kerrian of New Orleans hugs the bear she found in the backpack delivered by Mercy Corps staff. The bags were part of our "Comfort for Kids" program after Hurricane Katrina. Photo: Dan Sadowsky/Mercy Corps

In a couple of days, I will be flying to Haiti to begin launching the Comfort for Kids program -- a comprehensive psychosocial approach to rehabilitating the young survivors in Haiti. After the physical wounds from this traumatic event heal, psychological trauma remains long afterward -- if untreated, it can last forever.

In the last few days, I began collaborating with my partners on materials development that will address the unique needs of this disaster, e.g. high number of deaths, displacement, extreme losses, hunger, thirst. Our aim is not to be mental health providers, but to develop simple messages and materials for parents and educators locally, so they can support the needs of kids. My hope is to have the program up and running in about a month.

Once I am in Haiti, my focus is to assess the needs of the local mental health professionals and parents. Next will be finding printing vendors and translators to help with putting together the workbook publications. My hope is to complete as much of the process locally as possible.

But right now, I am in the middle of checking off the logistics of my trip to Haiti. Getting my shots, packing, researching, budgeting... and saying goodbye to my husband and new puppy.