Traumatised schoolchildren and teachers in Haiti struggle to overcome the destruction of Hurricane Matthew

Schools in the devastated south of Haiti are struggling to return to normality following Hurricane Matthew 国产视频� with聽pupils and teachers still traumatised by the destruction.

Speaking from Port-Salut in Haiti, Dr Kathryn Adams said much work needs to be done to ensure all children get education while the many schools destroyed by the huge storm are rebuilt.

Dr Adams is executive director of Lid猫, a foundation she set up with American writer Holiday Reinhorn and actor Rainn Wilson, after the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti that killed up to 200,000 people.

Six years on from that catastrophe the Caribbean nation is dealing with the aftermath of another natural disaster following Hurricane Matthew, which devastated Haiti in October and killed more than 1000 people.

The hurricane was the strongest to hit the region in a decade with 90% of parts of the south of Haiti completely destroyed.

Some 1.4 million people lost their homes or livelihoods in the storm, which created the worst humanitarian crisis since the devastating 2010 earthquake.

Dr Adams聽spoke to 国产视频 a few days after Hurricane Matthew struck, from the city of Gona茂ves in northwest Haiti where she was already working.

More than 300 schools were damaged and Dr Adams has been in Port-Salut since November 20聽to offer support to children, teachers and local communities.

She said: 国产视频淧eople are trying to get back normal life but whole areas were completely swept away. There are just the remains of homes with blue tarpaulin on top as roofs were blown off.

国产视频淚 had a meeting in the town of C么teaux on November 25聽and of the 21 schools destroyed only three were back in session.国产视频�

Dr Adams is a specialist in the psychology of teaching and learning in crisis zones.聽

She said that educating people how to help traumatised children is vital but added that many teachers in Haiti are traumatised too.

国产视频淭he teachers and directors of the schools are really shaken after surviving the hurricane so I国产视频檝e been working with them,国产视频� Dr Adams said.

She added: 国产视频淭he first few weeks have been about trying to survive 国产视频� survival of the fittest 国产视频� and people sometimes can国产视频檛 focus beyond that.

国产视频淚 see three main needs at the moment. Firstly, structures and buildings have been devastated and although organisations have given tents to families they have not given them to schools.聽

国产视频淪econdly, we need to take care of teachers and administration staff so they can back to teaching 国产视频� it国产视频檚 a hard thing to stand back up. Thirdly, we need to address teaching and take care of the needs of the children.国产视频�

Lid猫 is focusing on setting up safe places for children, especially girls, while refocusing the minds of boys who are still shaken by events.

国产视频淜ids are showing signs of trauma. Boys are agitated and can国产视频檛 concentrate while girls often retreat into isolation,国产视频� Dr Adams explained.

She added that girls and young women have borne the brunt of the impact of the storm.

国产视频淲hat we have seen is that the normal work that girls do down here, which to begin with was disproportional and took up any free time in their days, has increased.国产视频�

She added that as parents struggle to reconstruct poorly-built shelters and stand in lines for food distributions, or try to replant a crop that was wiped out overnight, the girls take over the work of the household.聽聽

国产视频淕irls as young as 10 and 11 are going to fetch the water each morning, mopping up rain that has come through tarp roofs, gathering wood and charcoal for cooking, making the meal for their parent(s) and siblings, washing dishes, washing clothes,国产视频� she said.

国产视频淚f a school is back in session, the oldest girl (no matter how 国产视频榶oung国产视频櫬爏he truly is) is the one getting her siblings ready and walking them to school.聽

国产视频淎nd while girls do all of this, we see boys, flying kites made of discarded plastic bags and sticks or playing football (soccer) in a field or on a beach.国产视频�

Dr Adams said this is why she decided to start programmes that offer young girls a place to be creative, to feel safe, and to take some time to study and learn with caring guidance.聽

国产视频淎nd for the boys, we will provide some special workshops that help them refocus and concentrate,国产视频� she said.聽

国产视频淚 know that the urge to play is part of that coping strategy for boys. I don国产视频檛 blame them for following that impulse. I guess the blame goes to a society where it is assumed that girls work and boys play. That needs to change.国产视频�

The charity聽Save The Children said: 国产视频淚n Haiti, an estimated 25% of the country has been affected by Hurricane Matthew. Some 29,000 homes, schools and other structures were damaged or destroyed.聽

国产视频淭he health, education and protection needs are massive, with an estimated 750,000 people requiring urgent assistance.聽

国产视频淲e are especially concerned for vulnerable children, including some 2000 little ones separated from their families, children at risk of deadly cholera聽and up to 130,000 children out of school.国产视频�