Caregivers in Swayimane, a rural community an hour outside of Pietermaritzburg meet to participate in a nine week Family Support Group.
This peer support group takes women through a process that empowers each individual to addresses the trauma that she feels.
One of the steps in the process is to make a doll.This activity is used to reflect on the importance of play in the lives of the children they care for.
They also learn ways to use play to improve listening and communication in the home. At the end of each of the nine sessions they go home with an activity they have learnt and implement this immediately with their children.
When asked at the end of the nine weeks what has been the “most significant change in your home” caregiver’s share they have noticed that they are not shouting or hitting their children any more, and that their children want to spend more time with them. This healing process strengthen connections, builds supportive relationships and brings change for children.