First aid for war trauma

Many children and adolescents from Ukraine have burned the terrible pictures deep into the soul: dead, explosions, desperate people. They also suffer massively from what they have experienced and worried about relatives and friends who have stayed in the war zone.

"Panic attacks, silence, psychotraumatic stress disorders and, in the worst case, permanent damage". Ronald Reimann is the project manager of the Xenion organization and knows what consequences the war experiences have. Xenion has been running a treatment center for traumatized refugees and victims of war and torture in Berlin for 35 years. Around 50 experienced therapists, social workers and interpreters are currently at the side of those seeking help from Ukraine. But that's not enough. The employees are at their load limit. There is already a waiting time of several weeks for the initial interview. Therefore, Terre des Hommes Xenion supports the financing of urgently necessary additional staff.

In addition to the important therapeutic help, Xenion also offers young refugees who have been in Berlin for a long time, also rap or self-defense courses and meetings, in which simply kicked out and cooked. "With the Ukrainian youngsters," says Ronald Reimann, "we first have to see what exactly they need now." Weekly moderated exchange groups are planned. Because for the children and adolescents it is important to exchange and see with their peers who suffered something similar, and I am not alone.