UBA-MARYLAND will utilize Psychological First Aid Interventions to help IDPs recover from the trauma of violence and killings that are the offshoots of the ongoing crisis in the South West and North West regions of Cameroon. UBA-MARYLAND believes that whether as survivors or witnesses of the ongoing crisis we need to evaluate and address the mental health needs of those involve.  

UBA-MARYLAND has realized that women and especially young girls are vulnerable to human right abuses and violence. Many women suffer lifelong trauma as a result of repeated and often brutal rapes, forced prostitution, and other forms of sexual abuse. Women who have been violated sexually or otherwise, frequently experience severe depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other mental and physical health problems. To date, little has been done to help protect female IDPs from violation and psychological trauma.

UBA-MARYLAND’s Psychological First Aid interventions are designed to reduce the initial distress caused by some of the traumatic happenings on the ground in Bafut and to foster short- and long-term adaptive functioning and coping. We do not assume that all survivors will develop severe mental health problems or long-term difficulties in recovery. Instead, it is our understanding that crisis and disaster survivors and others affected by such events will experience a broad range of early reactions (physical, psychological, behavioral, spiritual). Some of these reactions will cause enough distress or interfere with daily living and coping, and recovery may be helped through support and care from compassionate persons like you. 

Our Psychological First Aid Interventions include, but are not limited to the following Actions:

• Contact and Engagement: We will respond to contacts initiated by survivors and witnesses. We will also initiate contacts in a non-intrusive, compassionate and helpful manner.
• Safety and Comfort: We will make effort to enhance immediate and ongoing safety. We will also provide physical and emotional comfort.
• Stabilization: We will calm and orient emotionally overwhelmed or disoriented survivors.
• Information Gathering on Current Needs and Concerns: We will make effort to identify immediate needs and concerns, gather additional information, and tailor Psychological First Aid interventions.
• Practical Assistance: We will offer practical help to survivors in addressing immediate needs and concerns.
• Connection with Social Supports: We will reunite families physically separated as a consequence of the ongoing crisis. We will help establish brief or ongoing contacts with primary support persons and other sources of support, including friends and community helping resources.
• Information on Coping: We will provide information about stress, stress reactions and stress reduction techniques. We will also facilitate support groups on adaptive functioning.
• Linkage with Collaborative Services: To link survivors with available services needed at the time or in the future.
• Story-Telling: We will empower and encourage survivors and witnesses of the ongoing crisis to tell their stories. It is our understanding and conviction that acceptance, healing and reconciliation can easily be achieved when survivors are listened to, and when they can freely tell their stories.