Facing his fear through drawing

Basel likes to draw. He recently drew a picture of his house--the one that was badly damaged by the February 6 earthquake that rocked parts of Türkiye and northern Syria, where he lives.

The six-year-old has already seen his share of challenges. His family was displaced by war when he was a baby, and then the two-storey house where the family of six--his parents and three siblings--was damaged by the earthquake.

As the building began to crack around them, Basel and his family fled. Now they are living in a temporary shelter where, his mother said, the children get scared by any loud noise that reminds them of the earthquake.

To help him and his siblings cope with the trauma of that event, our member Save the Children's partner Hurras is operating psychosocial support and recreational activities that provide a way for them to name and deal with their fears; that's where Basel drew the picture of his house.

Through things like drawing, children like Basel can face their fears and perhaps find ways to cope. Or, at least, leave those fears behind for a few hours.