Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Aden (Agenzia Fides) - The children constitute 60% of the over 100 000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in southern Yemen. According to a UNICEF representative in the country, almost all the IDPs children have suffered severe trauma on their arrival in the refugee camps. Unconscious urination, bed wetting and nightmares are very common symptoms among those arriving in the governorates of Aden and Lahj, torn by ongoing conflicts in the region of Abyan. Since February 2011, there have been protests, displacements and non-stop violence in different areas of Yemen. Thanks to humanitarian organizations, about 8,773 children with disorders of various kinds have been placed in recreational activities such as sports and crafts, while more than 3,780 IDPs have been trained on how to identify signs of suffering in the displaced children. 70% of children affected by trauma recovers through appropriate games and followed by an improvement in their physical environment through specifically created community centers. Since the first was opened in June last year, 2,957 children have benefited from these areas, and their health has benefited, too. They are run by specially trained volunteers, from host communities or from the displaced population. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 13/09/2011)
