Returning to Happiness after La Soufriere
The UNICEF Return to Happiness programme has been helping hundreds of children evacuated to shelters in St. Vincent and the Grenadines cope with the trauma of escaping the volcanic eruption
Returning to Happiness after La Soufriere
The UNICEF Return to Happiness programme has been helping hundreds of children evacuated to shelters in St. Vincent and the Grenadines cope with the trauma of escaping the volcanic eruption.
At the Questelles Government School shelter, 14-year-old Henreek-k Francois and his younger brother, nine-year-old Elreek-k, were among 15 other children who took part in the Return to Happiness programme. Trained counsellors engaged them in creative projects and outdoor games as a psychosocial support tool, allowing the Francois brothers to play the sports they love.
The boys have had a lot to deal with. Here is an account of what they have been through and how they have found comfort through play therapy.
Day 1: Leaving home
On 8 April 2021 northern communities are issued a mandatory evacuation order ahead of an imminent explosion of La Soufriere volcano. The family arrives at an emergency shelter shortly before midnight, hungry, exhausted and scared.
Henreek-k: My father been go up in the bush close to Soufriere looking for yam. I went with him and there was firing blazing up there. Then we reach home and Mommy tell we that we have to evacuate. I was feeling kind of scared then we see the others start to evacuate and the scaredness start to go away.
Day 2: La Soufriere erupts
At the emergency shelter, the brothers see the first of many explosions to come when they look up at the sky.
Elreek-k: The volcano erupt today. I afraid cause I feel the volcano will full up the whole place. I tell Mommy that I feeling nervous. If I had a hammer like Thor, I would use it to make the volcano stop blow.
Week 2: Missing home
The boys long to go back home. Schools are still closed.
Henreek-k: Mommy and Daddy say them don’t know how long we will stay at the shelter. I don’t want to celebrate my birthday at the shelter. I want to celebrate my birthday at home like before, when Mummy bake a cake and buy ice-cream.
Elreek-k: I want to go to school. My favourite class at school is Maths because it is the easiest one. I missing home. If I had a chance to go back home, I would get my white remote-control car and all my medals.
Week 3: Possessions destroyed
The older of the two brothers returns home temporarily to assist with the clean-up effort.
Henreek-k: Daddy let me go home with Mommy to help clean up the ash. Elreek-k can’t go cause he does get shortness of breath. At home I see a lot of ash in the place and the trees was break down. I felt scared. Nothing in we house good because the ash mash up everything. I feel good I bring my medals from at home because when I look at them I does remember the races I win.
Week 4/5: The Francois boys receive emotional support through UNICEF’s Return to Happiness programme. (Cricket, lovely cricket!)
Henreek-k: This morning Miss take we round to the court for we to play cricket. This is the first time that everybody come. It was fun. I bat and hit the ball so high. My team win. I want to play longer.
I’ve been living at the shelter for a month and some. I feel like I dey home now because the same people from by my home are around and we get to play sports. When I play sports all I think about is that I will be great one day.
