PHILIPSBURG--According to United Nations Children’s Fund UNICEF, all children in St. Maarten were traumatised by the passing of Hurricanes Irma and Maria in September 2017. To assist children in processing their traumas, social worker from Curaçao Guineta de Palm, in cooperation with Philipsburg Jubilee Library, worked in St. Maarten for three months.
The social worker by profession and storyteller by conviction came to St. Maarten in January to work in conjunction with Mental Health Foundation (MHF).
In Curaçao she developed a methodology for guiding traumatised children and youths. During her stint in St. Maarten, De Palm organised activities at St. Joseph, Genevieve De Weever and Methodist Agogic Centre (MAC) John Gumbs Campus primary schools involving painting, games, stories, music, skits and therapy.
All these activities were aimed at giving participating children ages 4-12 years the opportunity to express themselves about their experiences during the hurricanes, and at making them feel better.
De Palm invited the schoolchildren to tell how they felt, not what they had gone through. “The children went through an experience that was difficult and painful. It has been a hard time, but it is of great importance that they remain calm in the new hurricane season. They are being made nervous because of all the talk about hurricanes,” De Palm explained.
The children talked a lot about their experiences during Irma and how they are doing now. “It was very intense in the beginning and impressive when they started to realise that they need each other. Children are very clear in expressing how they feel,” she said.
Apart from group sessions, there were also individual sessions in cooperation with MHF. “It is important that traumatised children are kept busy with all kinds of activities,” said De Palm. She also engaged in talks with the children’s parents.
Reports were drafted about the children, which were also based on their teachers’ observations. From the reports it emerged that 30 per cent of children need additional aid. School counsellors and social workers will be instrumental in this.
“This circle is round, Mission completed,” De Palm said in looking back on the project. “I hope I have been able to make a difference, because the children most definitely have made a difference in me.”
She said she was impressed by the resilience of St. Maarteners and their children. “St. Maarten is indeed strong, but it should not just rebuild homes but also the spirit of its inhabitants.”
De Palm said she was grateful for the Library’s assistance and for the “tremendous” cooperation of the participating schools.
The Library hopes to obtain additional funding, for instance by UNICEF, to be able to assist a second group of 30 children, who are currently on a waiting list.
I Can and New Start Foundations were also interested in the project, but had to be disappointed because there was no space to also accommodate the children in their care, said Library Director Monique Alberts.
