Children in crises: a space to play, laugh and rebuild.

The atmosphere we meet at the Child Friendly Space in Bonaberi Douala this morning is fun, warm, colorful, and beautiful. The children are all smiles as they play and tease each other. They sing and dance as they are being led by the social workers and later by other children in the group of 20. The youngest kids who are both less than two years old are very excited, walking around and dancing while picking up toys to play with. Maeva, one of them has a chalk and board and is trying to write as she has seen the older ones do severally. These children are between the ages of 1–12 years and a session lasts three months before a new one starts.

Looking at them having fun, you can see the excitement on their faces. This is something some of them weren’t used to it anymore and today, it gives them great joy as they are safe and, in an environment, where, they can be children. Some of their parents are in the center in another room where they are receiving psychological counselling, financial and moral support.

Most of these children are internally displaced from the North and South West regions due to the ongoing crises between separatist groups and the government of Cameroon. These children have been faced with all forms of tragic events which leave some of them psychologically disturbed. Some of them have been out of school for a year or more. This is a safe space where children can finally be children while carrying out educational, recreational, and entertaining activities for their growth and better mental state. A place where their issues are identified and dealt with in the best way.

UNICEF through European Commission Humanitarian Aid (ECHO) funding has partnered with the Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Foundation Cameroon, to find a suitable site for children to enjoy these activities. These different activities enable them to have an opportunity to play in a protected environment. While practicing social skills while having fun. In addition to displaced children, other children from areas of the city who may have suffered some form of child rights violation are also admitted.

In addition to these recreational activities, awareness raising sessions are taught as well. Various themes such as the promotion of child’s right, sanitation, importance of education and prevention of violence in the school environment are addressed and every three months, the space expects a hundred children. These sessions allow them to improve their knowledge on the promotion of the rights of the child, the duties of caregivers, the importance of birth registration and certificates, and prevention of COVID-19.

Today these children, like thousands of child victims of attacks by non-state armed groups in the North West and South West can continue their studies while thriving and can nourish the dream of a better tomorrow. UNICEF aims to receive a higher number as a permanent space is being established for the children.