Psychological support for aid workers in Haiti is crucial for effective relief operations

Serious humanitarian disasters, such as this, can cause psychological trauma, not only for those affected, but also for the humanitarian workers who witness the events. 

At the time of the earthquake, 30 Action Against Hunger staff members were inside the office. The first floor of the office collapsed with everyone inside – one was buried under the rubble, one is still be accounted for. Almost all national colleagues have lost their homes, and worse, loved ones. (Article cont'd below)

However, despite this display of solidarity and persistence in working tirelessly after personal trauma, Action Against Hunger is conscious of its duty to provide psychological support to its team, with the overall aim of helping to achieve an effective relief operation. The organisation therefore initiated a programme offering support to the entire team.

The psychological risks that are faced by operational teams are extensive. The streets are flooded with dead bodies, and every day aid workers are faced with harrowing stories of the individuals who have lost everything in the disaster. 

“The workload is enormous, the state of emergency overwhelming. Everyone is sleeping rough on the streets in intolerable conditions, and the constant feeling of insecurity lingers in the city under the threat of further tremors. Communication with family and friends is nearly impossible. The combination of so many stressful situations can have a serious psychological impact,” said Cyril Cosar, a psychologist working with Action Against Hunger in Port-au-Prince. 

“To combat these traumas, and to ensure that the relief effort is managed under the best possible conditions, we've set up individual and group debriefing sessions. In this type of situation, aid workers tend to neglect their own wellbeing. Pushing yourself to the limit can cause sleep problems, and lead to illness, behavioural problems, anxiety … To avoid this, it is crucial to provide support to the team. A good humanitarian worker is one who has excellent physical and mental health.”