HUMANITARIAN MISSION – Sudan :
Children with special needs, their families and teachers

Summary

A 3-Step Humanitarian Missions: arts-based techniques for children with special needs, their families and teachers

Where

Khartoum, Sudan

When

2018

Type of mission

A Multistep Humanitarian Missions: Arts-Based Techniques

Participants

37 children with special needs
23 teachers (Train-the-Trainer)
15 parents/relatives of children

Context & objectives

With the conflicting situation in Sudan caused by fighting between the government and rebel groups, many intellectually and physically challenged individuals now live in poverty, classified as the most stigmatized and marginalized people in society.

They often live in isolation, excluded from their communities, education systems, healthcare and other vital services. Sometimes they are even hidden away from their families. With no access to healthcare and rehabilitation, added to the stigma, many women and children in these groups face oppression and a heightened risk of domestic and sexual violence.

The aim of the mission was:

For individuals:

To cultivate social skills through fostering interaction goals via non-verbal means.
To explore their creativity trough art materials and art making to foster the development of cognitive skills.
To enhance their ability to express emotions through art making.

For the staff:

To increase knowledge and ability to use artistic and creative processes in conjunction with their verbal skills during sessions to continue to support beneficiaries after the Red Pencil’s time is achieved.

Impact

Over the course of a few months, the following outcomes were achieved:

Children were empowered to communicate and express their thoughts and feelings better and enhanced their social skills with peers.
The parents and relatives were enabled to understand the benefits of using art as a means to help their children/ward.
The teachers gained knowledge and skills to use creative tools in working with children with special needs as well as a means for self-care.
Children developed autonomy and flexibility by using the creative process to express themselves which will help them to solve real-life problems, deal with frustrations, and increase personal well-being.