Healing Through Learning: UNICEF Empowers Teachers and Parents to Support Children in Stress
Exploring the impact of the Better Learning Programme through the lens of a teacher and mother.
Ekaterina, a mother of two from Kiev enrolled her children in a Moldovan school when she arrived to Moldova in March 2022, shortly after the war in Ukraine started.
”Online learning doesn't substitute for a complete education at school, nor does it replace socialization... I wanted for my children to experience what school is like and interact with their peers," explains Ekaterina.
Despite the efforts to regain a sense of normalcy due to attending school and interacting with peers, Ekaterina’s children continued to have nervous tics due to traumatic experiences, such as hiding from rocket attacks in car trunks or bomb shelters. "My children, during the two weeks in Kyiv, suffered a lot from what was happening there," shares the mother.
With an understanding that trauma can significantly impact learning outcomes and overall well-being, UNICEF, in partnership with the Norwegian Refugee Council and financially supported by Education Cannot Wait, rolled out the Better Learning Programme.
"I've learned about methods that can assist both my children and others who may require support”
Traumatic experiences, such as those faced by Ekaterina's children during rocket attacks in Kyiv, can lead to heightened anxiety, stress, and other emotional challenges that interfere with the learning process.
More than 2,900 students from 12 schools in Moldova benefited from support in enhancing their well-being and approximately190 teachers and parents from Moldova and Ukraine were empowered with tools to assist children, particularly those affected by conflict, in coping with psychological trauma and integrating into their communities.
Recognizing the profound impact of trauma on individuals, especially children, the programme aims to address these challenges by providing techniques and strategies to manage stress, anxiety, and other effects of trauma. By equipping individuals with coping skills, resilience-building techniques, and supportive resources, the programme seeks to create an environment conducive to learning and healing.
"I've learned about methods that can assist both my children and others who may require support. Armed with this knowledge, I can share it with those in need. Almost every day, we engage in breathing exercises, and they see it as a game," says Ekaterina. She now incorporates these exercises into their daily routine, transforming them into enjoyable activities.
The impact of the programme extends beyond individual families to educators like Natalia, a primary school teacher from Balti. Natalia acknowledges the programme as an opportunity for self-reflection on how to support children in stressful circumstances. Through engaging activities like breathing exercises, she fostered a supportive classroom environment where children feel understood and connected, regardless of their backgrounds.
"There's a refugee child in our class, and other students didn't always understand why he is so quiet. However, as the sessions unfolded, I observed a notable transformation. The children grew more sociable, friendly, and inclusive. They actively engaged in exercises, posed questions, and openly shared their experiences and thoughts on various events in their lives," shares Natalia.
The Better Learning Programme embodies a holistic approach to addressing mental health needs of children and young people affected by crisis situations, equipping them with skills to manage stress, improve concentration, and actively engage in their education. Over the past four years, the COVID-19 pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine have deeply impacted the lives of children and young people across Moldova and Ukraine. Separation from family, home displacement, and disruptions to social connections and daily routines have affected their well-being.
To date, 118,000 refugees from Ukraine have found safety in Moldova, of whom more than 52,000 are children. According to a UNICEF survey, the psychological effects of war among Ukrainian children are widespread. Half of 13 to 15-year-olds have trouble sleeping, and 1 in 5 experience intrusive thoughts and flashbacks — typical manifestations of post-traumatic stress disorder. Three-quarters of children and young people aged 14 to 34 recently reported needing emotional or psychological support. However, less than a third sought help.
Parents across Ukraine also report elevated levels of anxiety, excessive fear, phobias, and sadness, decreased engagement in school, sensitivity to loud noises, and sleep troubles among children. At a time when parental support is most needed, half of the parents surveyed report struggling to support their children. Moreover, according to the findings of MSNA 2023 on the mental and psychosocial well-being of refugee adolescents, developed by UNICEF and its partners in Moldova, adolescents and caregivers from Ukraine reported mental health issues, lack of friends and socialization, as well as online education as risk factors for the development of refugee children and young people.
UNICEF will continue working with governments, municipalities and local partners to strengthen national systems that provide refugee and marginalized children with quality education, protection, health and mental health care services.
