Maryium's Story....

By Jawahir Habib
Ten year old Mariyum giggled joyfully as she skipped on her skipping rope at the Child Friendly Space established by UNICEF and its partners at Al-Huda IDP camp Quetta. Mariyum along with her mother four sisters and three brothers was displaced when the worst floods in the history of Pakistan hit Jafferabad district of Balochistan .Estimated five thousand seven hundred families were affected in district Jafferabad only.

Mariyum with her friends

Situations like natural disasters and emergencies leave deep psychological impact on children .The uncertainty and insecure condition in camps lead children to be emotionally traumatized. Like Mariyum many others children had to leave behind their homes and schools, in some families’ male members stayed behind to protect the home and lands making the family more vulnerable.”On our way to the camp I saw children living on roads their parents were asking for food and water, my mother cries the whole day .I left behind my friends and my home.” says the young girl

UNICEF Balochistan along with its partner organizations has established eight child friendly spaces for IDPs in district Quetta and Sibi. Four of these child friendly spaces are established in Eastern Bypass IDP camp Quetta which hosts more than one fifty families.240 children have joined these child friendly spaces in IDP camp Quetta.

These children are provided with a safe and friendly environment to get involved in indoor games, make friends and get involved in more informal education where main focus is on Health education, literacy and numeracy and on life skills