Locals empower Ugandan child victims
Tue 11 November 2008
Brooke-Lyn Webber, Journalism
Mountain Creek clinical psychologist Dr Robi Sonderegger is making a big impact in Uganda, Africa, helping refugees, sex slaves and child soldiers.
Dr Sonderegger developed a structured trauma recovery program in 2006 called EMPOWER and, over the past two years, has developed the program for more than 20,000 victims of war in 49 different refugee camps.
Dr. Sonderegger not only works with refugees, but also helps rehabilitate Ugandan child soldiers and sex slaves.
The EMPOWER program is the largest trauma treatment trial undertaken in a war zone, and has attracted considerable international attention from humanitarian, governmental and church groups.
A rebel group known as the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) abducts and uses children in Uganda as sex slaves and child soldiers.
“Unlike any other war in the world, this war is not over political or tribal differences, religion, or natural resources,” Dr Sonderegger said.
“It's a war against children, fueled by witchcraft."
Up to 50,000 children have been abducted over the past 20 years, with many having to watch their family members murdered in front of them.
The EMPOWER program focuses on forgiveness and emotional strength to help overcome the trauma embedded in the child's mind.
Every participant who goes through the program completes health assessments every three, six and 12 months.
When Dr Sonderegger proposed to introduce the EMPOWER program, he was slammed by other humanitarian agencies, who said it could not be done.
“But we had to contribute,” Dr Sonderegger said.
“Don't tell me it can't be done.”
The EMPOWER program has now expanded, and is currently running in Northern Uganda, Rwanda and Ethiopia.
Training has also been provided to authorised representatives in DR Congo, Northern Thailand, Cambodia and Israel.
“It's mostly word of mouth about the programs success that is driving its expansion into other nations,” Dr Sonderegger said.
Dr Sonderegger has received no government funding, and needed no government approvals, to release the program, but does get the approval from universities to conduct research to validate the effectiveness of the EMPOWER program.
Some main contributors to Dr Sonderegger's work in Uganda include sponsorship from OPTUS Network Communications, REED Property Group and Pat Rafter's Cherish the Children Foundation, as well as other small local businesses.
Caloundra general practitioner Nick Stanley, another local, has had the privilege to see the work of the EMPOWER program first hand.
“So many lives have been affected by the war that the problem seemed insurmountable,” Dr Stanley said.
“It was heartwarming to see young people dare to believe that they can have a fulfilling, meaningful life after the trauma they’d been through.”
The work that Dr Sonderegger and others are doing to empower the world is not going unnoticed.
The EMPOWER program has already reached over 15,000 documented participants, but estimates that at least 5000 more have been successfully rehabilitated and are no longer suffering severe trauma.
“Seeing lives transformed is no a catch-phrase, it's a reality I see with my own eyes,” Dr Sonderegger said.
“What could be more rewarding than to help restore life and a hope for the future?”
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