The program, financed by UNICEF and the Conseil Général de L’Essone, began in March 2004 with a team composed of a medical coordinator and two psychologists. They were sent into the field to give additional psychological support to those already brining aid to the victims of the earthquake. The team shifted focus during the program after assessing the needs in the field (ad-hoc training program). Professional French trauma consultants regularly provided their services, by providing technical support to the team and by organizing training sessions for the Moroccan staff in the field.
1st phase: March-June 2004: The CAM will carry out projects relating to the earthquake at Al Hoceima and create disaster response programs.
The main actions carried out during this time were :
the creation of discussion groups and individual psychological interviews
follow-up on a survey that was conducted by the Hassan II Foundation, given to children who became orphans after the earthquake
the creation of a deployment team to help victims of disasters
organization of trainings (training on stress management to about 20 teachers in Al Hoceima and a few social workers from the Royal Armed Forces of Morocco who were trained on psycho-trauma in Rabat, to psychologists from National Mutuel Aid and the staff of the deployment team, etc...)
2nd Phase: September-October 2004 2. Preparing mental health programs for populations affected by disasters and complex humanitarian emergencies
The main goal of this mission is to form an association with members of the deployment team, which will work in collaboration with National Mutual Aid, and form a "Listening" center for the vulnerable populations of Al Hoceima.
The main activities of this new phase are:
Supporting the association which is now officially registered, and setting up a socio-cultural listening centre, managed by both the Association and National Mutual Aid, who are now operational partners. The centre aims at helping vulnerable populations in Al Hoceima with financial and material grants, support in creating communication materials, training and advising).
Reinforcing training on stress and psycho-trauma management, and on listening to victims and vulnerable populations (beneficiaries: members of the Association and the National Aid which were already trained during the first mission).
Networking the various actors, in order to reinforce synergies between resource people that are bound to intervene in disasters or complex humanitarian emergencies.
