File:USAID Album 72157647436044136, image 27.jpg

• Description: Miranda* is a participant of the USAID Funded project “ACOPLE: Community-Based Treatment Services for Afro-Colombian Victims of Torture”, implemented by Heartland Alliance International. As part of our aim to provide context-specific, replicable, effective and sustainable community mental health services for 1600 survivors of torture and political violence, project participants are given emotional support through individual and/or group therapy. Sessions are complimented by Art-therapy such as dance-therapy and the use of social and community photography. Miranda was internally displaced to one of the bigger towns in the Pacific Coast several years ago where even today, the violence is rife. When she arrived at the ACOPLE Center, she had clear signs of trauma and depression and clearly needed emotional support. She received psychosocial support several months ago, and was invited to the art-therapy exercise to give follow-up and as a means to compliment previous attention. She was invited to carry out two photos in a dark room, holding a torch that would illuminate her in a color of her choosing for each photo. The first photo represents how she felt when she arrived at the ACOPLE Center the first time. She chose red, which for Miranda depicts anger and blood. The second photo shows how she feels today. She chose the color green, for hope. The importance of ensuring emotional and mental health of the poor and vulnerable is often overlooked when talking about ending extreme poverty. However, mental and emotional health is essential to ensure the daily functioning of all, and enable people who face conditions of poverty and vulnerability, to advance in their aim to overcome these circumstances and look for new opportunities.

Credit: Heartland Alliance International – Project ACOPLE (Colombia) / Gloria Carolina Barrera Mejía

• Album: 72157647436044136
• Image id: 14796197650
• Image url: 14796197650_4e2dc112c2_o.jpg