Saint Lucas 5
Haifa 31041
إسرائيل
- Gender
- Human rights
- International/Cultural relations
- Others
We seek to create a world in which mental health support is a fundamental component in all emergency efforts for victims of humanitarian crises.
Since November 2015 they have worked in camps, shorelines, ports, and the local hospital in the city of Mytilene, and mainly at Lesvos Solidarity - PIKPA Camp, which became the core of their fieldwork activity in 2016. Later, as a response to the EU-Turkey deal, they expanded to the north to Diavata Camp, Elpída Center, and Floxenia Housing Project on the outskirts of Thessaloniki in mainland Greece. In addition to their work at the camps, they ran significant emergency work during the height of the refugee crisis. They also initiated several emergency operations. These included work on-board rescue boats of our partners Proactiva Open Arms, mental health mobile clinics on shores and ports, and our work with hospital staff once refugees were referred there.
Their work in Greece included activities they held for children and adults which were tailored detailed activities to contribute to the resilience of the refugees, prevent the deterioration of their mental health, and enhance the communal empathy and support mechanisms. The activities, implemented by a team of native Arabic speaking mental health professionals and well-trained volunteers, support the refugees’ recovery by empowering them with tools and skills to cope with the traumas they have endured. They conducted daily activities for children that included recreational activities and non-formal educational activities. They led weekly activities for adults that included crisis intervention for individuals and families in need, as well as support group sessions which included gender and age sensitive groups for men, women and teenagers. From these group sessions, they then earmarked particularly vulnerable cases which they later treated on an individual case by case basis. They also conducted dyadic activities for infants and their primary caregivers.
Humanity Crew has a lot of experience on the field and have been one of the few organizations that have dealt exclusively with MHPSS in the refugee's own langauge. We feel there is a lot to be taught and we have a lot to learn and a good way to do that is through wider netowrks that have similar goals towards human rights.
Similarly to what has been stated above, Anna Lindh is a great network that would potentially provide good contact, conferences, workshops, and general experience. We believe that the more we are exposed to other NGOs the better we become at our jobs.