Successful Completion of 10 Psychological First Aid (PFA) Sessions in Nyalath Payam, Aweil Center County for the Host Communities.

We are delighted to announce the successful completion of 10 Psychological First Aid (PFA) sessions held across 10 host communities in Nyalath Payam, Aweil Center County. This initiative, led by a trained team of Psychosocial Community Volunteers (PCVs), has directly benefited over 200 (107 females) community members, offering critical mental health support and practical coping strategies in the face of ongoing challenges.

The 10 communities where the sessions took place included Rum-anguoth, Udhaba, Nyalath Centre, Nyalath East, Nyalath West, Apada West, Apada East, Apada Centre, Barnywiny, and Kilo-buot, with 20 participants in each session. Each session lasted no more than 1.5 hours, ensuring accessibility and effectiveness in delivering vital psychological support. The sessions were facilitated with the guidance of at least one Training of Trainers (ToT) facilitator, ensuring quality delivery across all groups.

Throughout the initiative, participants shared positive feedback on how the sessions helped them process emotions and build resilience. Some success stories include:

• Akuol, a participant from Nyalath East, shared: “I never knew that taking care of my mental health was as important as my physical health. After attending the session, I feel more confident in dealing with stress, and I now know how to support my family better.”
• Garang, from Apada West, said: “The PFA session taught me how to stay calm in difficult situations. I used to feel overwhelmed by everything, but now I have tools to manage my emotions.”
• Aweng, a community member from Rum-anguoth, added: “I have seen a positive change in how my neighbors and I communicate. We have learned how to listen and support each other in ways we never did before.

These sessions have had a lasting impact, helping individuals not only cope with past trauma but also build stronger, more resilient communities. The feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly positive, demonstrating the critical need for ongoing psychosocial support in these areas.

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the Psychosocial Community Volunteers, the ToT facilitators, and all community members for their active participation and commitment to this initiative. We are excited to continue supporting the mental health and well-being of the people of Nyalath Payam as part of our ongoing efforts to foster resilience and healing. We cannot forget to thank UNDP (Supporting Partner) and the Government of Japan (Donor) for unwavering support, without you, we would have done nothing to the needy people in Nyalath Payam, Aweil Center County, Northern Bahr El Ghazal State.