A psychosocial intervention program targeting households affected by the passage of Hurricane Beryl will commence on Monday.
Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, while speaking in Parliament on Thursday said that training of facilitators for this program had started on July 17th. According to Prime Minister Gonsalves, 100 facilitators are participating in this training.
He said that the program, dubbed the “Return To Happiness” program, aims to provide psychosocial support to all children affected by Hurricane Beryl, whether they are residing in public shelters or in private housing.
“Then there is the issue, a very critical issue, psychosocial interventions for the affected households. As of July the 17th, 2024, the Return to Happiness Program, there is a program which we have dubbed that, Return to Happiness Program, Master Training Exercise Commends for 100 Facilitators. The program seeks to provide psychosocial support to all children affected by the passing of Hurricane Beryl, whether in the public shelters or in private home placement. We are doing the facilitators now, the actual program with the psychosocial interventions will commence on Monday the 22nd.” The Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister also noted that child friendly spaces will be established following the completion of the Return To Happiness program. Men and women’s empowerment programs for the affected adult population will start from July 29th.
Prime Minister Gonsalves also disclosed that counsellors have commenced engagement with impacted households in %54 of public shelters, and that arrangements have been finalized in collaboration with the Ministry of Health to determine the logistics for establishing counselling services on all Grenadine islands.
