Sichuan Quake Relief (SQR)

心理援助培训班为灾区的人们打开心结

The Wenchuan earthquake happened nearly a year ago, and everyone has tried their best to reconstruct their home towns.  But the mental healing is a long process. Recently, the International Cooperation Agency and All-China Women’s Federation, has been focusing on providing vocational training for survivors, in order to help them cope with some of the effects of the disaster on mental health.
Earthquakes occur frequently in Japan, and the Japanese have a great deal of experience about how to help quake-afflicted people overcome the barrier of fear.  A 41-year-old Japanese man, assisted in the rescue work.  In spite of the frightening situation, he insisted on taking part in the relief work. After the earthquake, he couldn’t sleep at night, and he couldn’t forget quake-afflicted people’s faces.  He lives in a car, in order to escape from any future earthquakes.
“Many people after this earthquake also have psychological problems , but they don’t know how to deal with it, we hope we can help them through it in positive ways,” said Mr. Kato, the Deputy Director of the Mental Health Centre, in Hyogo, Japan.
“Through this training course, I know not only children need psychological aid , but also the teachers need this help.  I will try my best do my work well, I believe our love will help  children in the disaster areas,” wrote Luo Xiaoyan, from an experimental primary school, after the training.
[Approx. English translation by SQR]
距“512”汶川大地震发生已近一年，家园通过重建正逐渐恢复昔日的美丽，而如何进行“心灵的重建”却是一个艰巨而漫长的过程。日本国际协力机构和中华全国妇女联合会日前在成都举办了面向灾区从事心理援助工作人员的培训班，以帮助更多的人走出心理阴影。
作为地震多发国的日本，过去曾遭受过数次重大地震灾害，在针对受灾民众心理持续支援活动中积累了十分宝贵的经验和见识。日本兵库县心理卫生中心副主任加藤宽说，日本有一名41岁的男子，地震后参加救助倒坍房屋下的居民，看到了惨不忍睹的尸体，并坚持开展救助活动。但夜里他开始失眠、做噩梦，即使在清醒时也会回想起挖出来居民的面孔。此后的一年半，他住在车上，不愿回到原住地，以便再次地震时容易逃离，而且再也无心工作。在四川地震灾区，很多人正面临着同样的心理问题，自身却并没有意识到。”加藤宽期望通过专业的心理援助，让四川地震灾区的人们打开心结，尽快走出心理阴影。
“我看到原来不仅孩子需要心理援助，老师也同样需要。作为一个普通人，我希望能做好最善良的自己，用一颗阳光的心去驱散地震带给孩子们内心的阴影。”来自绵竹实验小学的罗晓燕老师在培训会上写下这样的感想。