Mental Health & Psychosocial Support2019 | Quarter 2 Report

Day of the African ChildIOM Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) unit, in collaboration with other humanitarian partners, celebrated the Day of the African Child on 16 June at the Protection of Civilians (PoC) sites and with host communities in Wau, Malakal and Bentiu. Following this year’s theme “Ending Child Marriage, Putting Children’s Rights First”, IOM conducted various awareness raising activities through drama, songs and dances, role-plays, creative and sports activities which were attended by over 6,800 individuals. In Malakal PoC, peer support groups of women, widows and adolescents held joint meetings at the MHPSS centre to discuss child marriage and child rights. In Wau, the activities were held at the PoC MHPSS Centre, collective centres and in the host communities. MHPSS produced a four episode radio drama entitled “ No child should be left behind” and “Girl Child Education”. The episodes were aired by Voice of Hope over six days and reached approximately 15,000 people in Wau town.

IOM SOUTH SUDAN

Day of African Child 2019 Celebration in the Community, Wau County © IOM 2019 / Betty AZIKU

1,010

1,400

3,194

5,255

18,881

40,525

1,753

2,371

5,203

8,272

28,290

43,510

0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 50,000

Caregivers supportedthrough home visists,

support groups…

Individuals at-riskreceiving

psychosocial support

Number ofindividuals provided

with PFA

Number of newadmissions to

MHPSS programme

Number offollow-ups in thesecond quarter

Individuals participating in social, creative &recreative activities

Female

Male

Individuals participating in social, creative & recreative activities

Individuals at-risk receiving

psychosocial support

Caregivers receiving psychosocial support

Number of individuals provided with PFA

Number of new admissions to focused

MHPSS services*

Number of follow-ups (focused MHPSS

services)*

60,698 individuals reached with MHPSS services

2,763 caregivers provided with psychosocial support

8,397 individuals provided with psychosocial first aid (PFA)

84,035 individuals participating in social, creative & recreational activities

3,771 at-risk individuals provided with psychosocial support

Achievements by Type of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Service Provided

Gender Breakdown

In April, IOM conducted an MHPSS Rapid Needs Assessment in Malakal PoC and in Malakal town with 100 households participating in the survey. Twenty focus group discussions with various gender and age groups, and key informant interviews with international, national and local stakeholders were conducted. The preliminary findings of the assessment state higher levels of distress among Malakal town residents (56%) in comparison to the PoC residents (29%) attributed to the lack of security and the lack of basic services, including MHPSS services.

MHPSS Needs Assessment

43%

57%

*Focused MHPSS services included counselling, support groups, home visits and refferals

Heide RIEDER | MHPSS Programme Managerhrieder@iom.int

MHPSS Coordination IOM continued supporting the coordination of activities of MHPSS actors in Malakal (MHPSS Technical Working Group (TWG), Upper Nile), Bentiu (MHPSS Networking Coordination Group (NCG), Unity) and Wau (MHPSS Actors in Western Bahr el Ghazal). Monthly meetings were organized in the respective field offices by the IOM MHPSS team leaders to discuss the joint initiatives, common issues and challenges and potential solutions to existing problems. In Malakal, the MHPSS TWG discussed how to address suicide cases, specifically among young mothers

and GBV survivors. The TWG continued the “Hope Campaign”, which was initiated in 2018 to spread positive thinking to prevent suicide in the PoC and strengthen referral pathways. In Bentiu, the MHPSS NCG discussed joint capacity building and mainstreaming activities and continued the development of key messages for the “Psychosocial Well-Being Campaign” to be launched in October 2019. In Wau, the MHPSS actors discussed issues related to case management, referral and coordination.

Small-scale Income Generating Activities MHPSS beneficiaries started learning to produce clay pots in Bentiu PoC in addition to the ongoing production of baskets, fans, storage containers and fruit dishes using various locally available raw materials such as clay, palm tree leaves, threads from sack bags, cow dung, grass and others. These activities are aimed at providing basic livelihood skills for the most vulnerable among the IDPs to enhance their self-confidence, self-esteem and psychosocial well-being.

Success StoryA 39-year old woman living in Bentiu PoC has

undergone a series of counselling sessions over a

period of two months. The woman stated that she

is recovering from high levels of distress. It all started

after the death of her husband who was killed by

an unknown gunman in a village outside of villages

outside of the PoC in April 2019.

When she first came to see a counsellor, she was very

anxious, crying continuously. She had isolated herself

from other community members. The woman also

refused to take care of herself. After several counselling

sessions, she is now able to look after herself and her

children again. She is operating a small tea business in the market to support her family. She is able to buy clothes and address other basic needs of her children. She described how grateful

she is for the counselling and other MHPSS support provided by the IOM team.

Celebration at the Recreational and Counselling Centre in Bentiu, Rubkona County © IOM 2019 / Heide RIEDER

Support group participants producing baskets as part of the MHPSS activities in Bentiu PoC © IOM 2019 / Heide RIEDER

Emergency ResponseIOM MHPSS provided psychological first aid (PFA) for 2084 (466 children, and 1618 adults) new arrivals from Kuajena, and Baryan, Jur River County and handed over 245 emergency care kits (basic materials like a set of clothing, soap, torch for the

adults, and slippers) for the most vulnerable individuals – those who arrived with barely anything. The new influx of IDPs in Wau was a result of the most recent conflict in Jur River County.