According to The Economist, Africa is projected to be the world’s fastest-growing region by 2026, although economic growth remains uneven and the continent faces significant challenges. At the same time, the Ebola outbreak in Congo is causing widespread fear, xenophobic attacks in South Africa are forcing thousands of people to flee, and many individuals still go to bed hungry. Each conflict, disease, and struggle with poverty results in traumatized communities, highlighting the demand for trauma-informed care—an area in which Loom is frequently asked to provide training.
Much of our work occurs at the local level—supporting individuals starting small businesses, pastors, teachers, and healthcare workers. These are the community members who interact with the next generation. We recently received a short testimony from a teacher who attended our training, Grace Philipo: “Before I attended this seminar, I struggled with being very strict and frequently punishing children. In my past, I had the habit of hitting children without understanding the reasons for their mistakes. However, through this seminar, I have changed significantly. I have learned about child brain development and the importance of keeping the brain healthy.”
Many solutions that work in the West are not suitable for Africa. There are only about two mental health professionals for every 100,000 people on the continent, with South Africa having the highest concentration. Therefore, it is crucial to equip laypeople to intervene effectively.
Please pray for us as we work on this project, and for the grassroots change agents who understand God’s intentions for their communities and are beginning to practice trauma-informed care.
Each week, we receive reports of meaningful change—may we have the courage to remain faithful.
