For the last 10 years, we have worked extensively in East Africa and have built a team of facilitators who work alongside us. Together we have studied what is happening in their communities, what subjects they want more in-depth training in, what could be done online, and what is essential face-to-face.
Trauma training is a big area that we were asked to expand. We would get questions such as, “What do you do when the whole community is traumatized – ongoing war in Eastern Congo; the aftermath of the genocide in Rwanda; the hunger following COVID in Uganda; sexual assault being normalized in our communities – how do you deal with that?”
So we shifted part of our research and curriculum to look at traumatized communities. We read African writers and studied grassroots models. From scripture, we looked at the role of lament. We investigated the concept of how group cultures (like African culture) process trauma differently from individual cultures (most of the West) and learned so much from the practitioners we work with. We now have a module on Thriving Communities that covers community trauma and community responses – with both case studies and local initiatives being highlighted.
They also wanted us to increase our coverage of trauma’s impact on the brain, toxic stress, and adolescent physical development and sexuality. Completing this curriculum has meant many nights working until 2 am and right now, we have foggy brains and wide eyes.
We were going to drop some of the primary health care training – but our facilitators said, “No way!” Advocacy for Children was another area they wanted us to expand, and we learned that content we thought was removable often was not. We also added practical skills to every session: What can you actually do? What practices can you use as a caregiver? The skills and activities serve all learning styles, and we do laugh a lot in the classroom.
The Belonging side of Roots of Belonging comes from current research emphasizing the deep need we have as humans, and especially children, to belong. Belonging is experiential and life-stabilizing.
Each human being has a deep need to belong. We have an instinctive knowing in our bodies when we belong;
it is an innate experience, not a cognitive choice. To belong is about full acceptance, about feeling seen.
An individual cannot create “belonging” for themself.
Belonging overflows with safety, power, wholeness, and welcome;
Belonging is demonstrated relationally from another person or group to an individual.
We have over 500 pages of curriculum. The next step is to pilot this new curriculum and, with our trusted facilitators, see if it meets the needs of the local communities. Our facilitators will give daily feedback. We cannot do this without them. They directed us, kindly corrected us, and sent us off to do the homework. We expect great times in Uganda.
