Staff Reflect on their Highlights (and Lowlights) of 2009

Nicole Paulsen asked Trauma Centre staff to write about their highs and lows for 2009. This is the result:

Nicole Paulsen
Highlights: Definitely and without a doubt the Global Project evaluation meeting in Cairo, Egypt. Since the age of eleven, I have always dreamed of one day going to the land of the Pharaohs and in July 2009 I did. OH, WHAT A MAJESTIC PLACE, filled with such an enriching history. Not only was it an amazing experience meeting Doctors and Psychologists from 5 other countries but also learning about the various issues they face in their countries, and the interventions they make with regard to the rehabilitation of victims of torture. Presenting the global project data on behalf of the Political Violence Programme, with Gugu was quite exciting as the entire team worked extremely hard on this. Finally seeing the fruits of our hard work, made that moment a very proud and spectacular one.

Lowlights: The incident in De Doorns made me realise that there is a lot of unresolved issues and misperceptions between foreign nationals and South Africans. However my lowlight is seeing young, innocent children not only forced to face such traumatic experiences but also forced to suffer the consequences of xenophobic attacks, something they did not ask for, something they should not have to endure. Witnessing this was very tough for me, but more importantly encouraged me to continue the fight against the violation of people’s, especially children’s human rights.

Miriam Fredericks

Highlights: There were so many:
The Guguletu Project Launch!!
The UN International Day in Support of Torture survivors on 26th June at the Nelson Mandela Gateway
The dialogues on community violence
The GLOBAL project Research - WOW what an achievement!!
The GLOBAL project evaluation meeting in Cairo - wonderful participation: 6 countries meeting, sharing experiences, resources and knowledge.
Witnessing the community theatre staged at 5 schools by our CVP program.
Presenting at an International Conference in Bulgaria, highlighting 2nd generation issues.
The amalgamation of work at Trauma Centre, teams working well together and knowing we are contributing not only to our communities but also the development of skills in our therapists.
The enormous training of professionals and volunteers we have accomplished for the year.
Serving as a council member on the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture victims/survivors.
The support from local funders, Investec, HCI, Dept.of Social Development,UNODC and our international partners, Oak Foundation,European Union and UNVFVT.

Lowlights: Very sadly we have had many personal losses at the Trauma Centre this year. Not only do we work with pain and the major loss of our clients but we had 6 staff members’ lose relatives in this year!! However THE BIGGEST LOSS -was that of a colleague from the Gaza Strip who attended the Global evaluation meeting with us in Cairo and could not reach home because the Israeli army closed the border. So, although his home was within eyesight, he died in Egypt, while waiting for the 2 weeks before the border was re-opened.
Long live the struggle against oppression and torture globally.

Dr Abu Mo'alek, the Gazan psychiatrist, who died in Egypt in August without being able to get home, is the man standing on the extreme right

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2009 HIGHLIGHTS: Part II

Further achievements of the Trauma Centre in 2009 included a torture awareness raising programme during the 16 days of Activism and capacity building of individuals and organisations.Miliswa Sobukwe-Whyte, Carmen Low-Shang & Fiona from the Political Violence Program

The Children and Violence programme commemorated 16 days of activism by hosting dramas at 5 primary schools in the Western Cape. The objective of the dramas was to advocate against violence towards women and children as well as to educate children, teachers and parents about their rights and how to access help.

COMMEMORATION STATION
On the 26th of June the Trauma Centre commemorated the UN International day in support of torture survivors at the Nelson Mandela Gateway. Having a candle vigil and a screening of the documentary “My Brothers Keeper” assisted in raising awareness and allowed the Trauma Centre to publicly advocate for those who survived gross human rights violations, more specifically torture. The venue for this day could not have been more ideal as being at the Nelson Mandela Gateway allowed many a chance to reflect on and acknowledge those who fought for the liberation of our country from the Apartheid system. Walking over the bridge towards the gateway filled the Trauma Centre staff with so much joy, appreciation and pride with regard to how far our country has come.

CAPACITY BUILDING OF INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANISATIONS

On a very positive note, the Trauma Centre team has expanded, three new staff members have been appointed, a warm welcome to Mrs Nomvuyo Mabusela – co-ordinator of the Political Violence programme, Mrs Asma Achmat-coordinator the Children and Violence Programme and Miss Melvina Carelse – counselling psychologist in the Children and Violence Programme.

From September through to December all Trauma Centre staff participated in the Victim Empowerment Programme by training Victim Support Room volunteers who work in the Police Stations of the Western Cape. The training was informative not only for the volunteers who attended but also for the staff who facilitated. Topics covered were: knowing the victim, policy and procedure, ethics, the role of the volunteer, trauma, volunteer and victim rights as well as self care. Feedback was positive and the volunteers reported feeling more confident in returning to the victim support room and implementing everything they learnt.

“Years end is neither an end nor a beginning, but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us” Hal Borland

In the light of these wise words may the Trauma Centre with all its wisdom, experience and commitment towards prevention, continue to accomplish many more glorious triumphs.

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Bruises - some welcome; others painful!

On a weekend in early October, the Political Violence Team facilitated a camp for the offspring of anti-apartheid activists, torture survivors and ex-combatants i.e. the second generation.
This is what one of the facilitators, Carmen Low-Shang wrote on her return. This work is both difficult and rewarding:
We had a wonderful camp with participants making emotional connections all over the place...
So our process this weekend still has me speechless...
And at the same time, I want to tell you all that it really was not easy!!!


For some reason, or maybe the fact that we had 30 teenagers on our hands, it was absolute CHAOS!!! I suppose that's normal to some extent. Being aware that I may be writing on behalf of the others, the weekend really brought some serious challenges, and I think all facilitators (Nicole, Miliswa, Trevor, Fiona and myself) were really pushed and in some ways we have taken an (emotional) and physical bruising!!! (Two of the facilitators were ill the next day and unable to come into work!) We were confronted with resistance of the most stubborn kind, fighting, lying, stealing, disrespecting!!! And we also had 200+ steps climbing down and back up the mountain just to enjoy the beach!!! OUCH!!!
Our lives have all been changed forever... and best of all... We made it through - survived, together!
Carmen went on to explain why she feels the camp changed her life:

My life's work is to make a positive difference in the lives of others. A particular moment at the camp where I and other facilitators felt very touched, was the way in which one participant (who has been through the camp process for the 4th time!) was able to release emotion – she was crying - but it was a "peaceful" and calm release which made us feel that yes, it was a powerful moment in her life. Yet at the same time she seemed very comfortable to release her emotions in our presence. I'll just add that this particular participant gave us "hell" on the first camp. She had a resistance to engaging with us of the worst kind. We were unable to break through up until now. It is seeing the change and knowing that you have touched someone's life in a way... that they are then able to forgive their parents and we are able to bridge the gap between the two generations...

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Editorial

The focus of the Trauma Centre's work is changing. We have always combined therapeutic with preventive work, partnerships and advocacy. We started in 1993 with addressing the needs of victims of political violence and torture, but by the year 2000, a much larger proportion of our clients were the victims of crime.

2008 was a watershed year for us and for the country. The crisis in Zimbabwe (which meant that many refugees crossed our borders), and the lack of service delivery in our country, led to outbreaks of xenophobic violence in cities and towns. It has led us and many others to try to think more strategically about where to focus our attention. For over a decade the Children and Violence Project has worked to prevent violence in schools, tackling the problem holistically school by school.

Many groups and organisations (e.g. Action for a Safe South Africa) are now trying to think about the root causes of violence in our country as well as strengthening the criminal justice system. Those of us who work in the field of mental health, have a contribution to make because of our understanding of the mechanisms of trans-generational transmission of trauma(International Handbook of Multi-generational Legacies of Trauma edited by Yael Danieli. Plenum Press. New York.1998) and how these intersect within families to produce insecure attachments in the next generation, resulting in aggressive and violent behaviour.(Felicity de Zulueta's "From Pain to Violence: The Traumatic Roots of Destructiveness". Whurr Publishers. London. 1993). The Political Violence Program in their work with the second generation, and the new Gugulethu Project which aims to empower and psychoeducate parents and pre-school children are the pilot projects in which we hope to be able to address these issues. Read More or Comment

International Torture Day

International Torture Day on 26th June 2009 was marked by a very successful event organized by the Political Violence Project staff. It was held at the Mandela Gateway to Robben Island situated at the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront in Cape Town. Read More or Comment

The Political Violence Program

The Political Violence team runs a variety of workshops, weekend camps and other events for ex-combatants and their families – the second generation. This picture shows how a young second generation participant felt about attending one of the weekend camps. Read More or Comment