A Civil Society Organization, 'Voluntary Aid Initiative Nigeria' in partnership with NEEM Foundation, an NGO have trained Lay Counselors from co
A Civil Society Organization, ‘Voluntary Aid Initiative Nigeria’ in partnership with NEEM Foundation, an NGO have trained Lay Counselors from communities of Zamfara and Katsina states on Mental Health And Psychosocial support (MHPSS).
The training was organized by Voluntary Aid Initiative Nigeria and facilitated by the Neem Foundation MHPSS officers under a project “Empowering Community Security” (ECOS Project).
A total of 33 Lay Counsellors from 11 communities across the Four Local Government Areas of Zamfara and Katsina states were trained
Speaking at the closing of the three-day training held in Gusau, the Executive Director of the Voluntary Aid Initiative Nigeria, Mr Musa Aboki said the training aim to improve access to mental health services, fostering community resilience and well being by equipping the participants with skills to support trauma survivors and address mental health stigma in the selected communities.
Aboki said that the training participants acquired a deeper knowledge on the best way to identify at-risk individuals and provide the needed services.
“The Executive Director used the medium to commend Zamfara and Katsina states government for providing an enabling environment for organization to support communities aimed at promoting civilian securities”, he explained.
The lead facilitator of the training and Zamfara MHPSS officer of the NEEM Foundation, Mrs Debora Danjuma, said the training empowered lay counselors with psychosocial support knowledge and skills that includes counseling ,psychological first aid, self care, trauma, lay counseling among others.
“During the Three-day training, we talked about counseling skills, active listening, humanitarian actions, counseling process and preventive measures.
Another facilitator and MPHSS officer of the NEEM Foundation from Katsina, Mr Khalid Imam said the lay counselors are expected to help their community members or individuals that suffered from mental distress,
Imam said: “These participants are also expected to provide early support, make appropriate referrals and create a supportive social environment that fosters healing, growth and cohesion, especially in their communities.
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