River of Life

Our third Memory Work Camp took place at the end of October with children from Montebello.

We engaged children in re-telling past stories about their lives, through memory work based on the River of Life. Many of these young people have lost parents or never knew their parents. They were encouraged to write and illustrate their history in the form of travelling along a river bank. Exploring alternative methods of communicating one’s past can be helpful in retrieving traumatic memories and experiences. Storytelling encourages healing for those who feel a lack of identity and belonging.

Each young person presented his or her story to the group, filling the room with shared feelings, emotionally charged stories and supportive faces! What an honour to have felt so much trust among the group on the second day of camp!

Roxane, a psychologist from Belgium led the children in stretches and forms of yoga. Erin Henshaw taught us that our bodies are carriers of our emotional and physical stresses therefore we should listen to them!