Transforming Aggression: Integrating MHPSS in Education to Cultivate Positive Social Change Among Unaccompanied Refugee in Egypt

• In Event: Migrants, Inclusion and Student Agency

Proposal

As of April 2023, 294,000 (38% children) refugee and asylum seekers are registered in Egypt. Out of this, 3,259 are unaccompanied children (UAC), mainly from Eritrea (40%) and Sudan (27%).[1]

UAC in Egypt face several barriers to education. Besides the financial and legal barriers that limit their ability to integrate into the national education system, they also face severe protection and wellbeing obstacles due to the continuous harassment and discrimination they face in their new country of asylum. Per CRS data, 81% of children aged 5-14 years old have been subjected to some form of violence, leading to an increase in protection risks and threats to their well-being that impede their education. While commuting to schools, children experience sexual harassment, robbery, and abuse.

UAC have limited resources to cope with the extreme injustice they face and lack parental support, which exacerbates these challenges. Girls often remain silent or defend themselves verbally, while boys resort to verbal or physical self-defense or run away from perpetrators. The emotional toll of these negative encounters is significant – most of the children are unable to deal with the negative emotions resulting from feeling unwelcome in their country of asylum, lack of available opportunities, and grieving lost homes, beloved ones and above all hope. Accordingly, they often feel unsafe in public areas, lose self-confidence and trust to initiate new friendships and suffer from anxiety, depression, sleep problems, eating disorders, self-harm and indeed drop-out of education accounting for the highest drop-out rates standing at 30% as of 2018.

CRS conducted a needs assessment to identify the factors which contribute to the UAC susceptibility to mental health problems and understand the coping mechanisms that they adopt. The methodology included secondary data review of UAC education reports, and primary data collection through 15 KIIs with the children, 5 KIIs with caseworkers from CRS and other NGOs that work closely with UAC in protection and health.

The assessment findings showed that, UAC have high tendencies of adopting violent behaviours in response to the injustice and dire conditions that they face; these behaviours include joining gangs, riots, drug dealing, and substance use. UAC believe adopting these behaviours protect them from falling prey to discrimination, continuous bullying and hate crimes. This phenomenon is mostly common among ambitious children who have not been able to achieve their goals and are incapable of dealing with the frustration that follows, which constitutes a wasted potential of youth who could have been effective members of the communities.

The proposal focuses on CRS interventions to redirect children’s potential towards meaningful pathways, correct their misconception of power, and provide alternative methods to navigate frustrating situations through integrating mental health and psycho-social support into education services.

In 2019, CRS introduced MHPSS services into education programming to UAC as a key factor to their retention in schools. The types of services provided were expanded year after another resulting in higher success rates in education, and significant improvements in the mental wellbeing of children whose situations have not differed much, but their coping mechanisms did.

The first approach CRS employed is the mentorship program. UAC demonstrated a need for continued support given the absence of a guardian, and the mentorship program provides a one-on-one monthly counselling with children to monitor and support their progress throughout the academic year. Aiming to support students to navigate day-to-day challenges that hinder their commitment to Education through developing tailored support plans including health, housing, protection, academic, and financial aspects. Another approach is peer support groups. As UAC demonstrated a need for support, trusted networks given the limited social support they get, peer support groups offer a safe space for children to come together, discuss life challenges and exchange experiences of coping in the country of asylum which fosters healthy and constructive relationships among children who not necessarily come from the same backgrounds and cultivating an inclusive environment where everyone is safe to share their story and further help others overcome their challenges. Lastly is a child wellbeing program. UAC demonstrated a need to adopt healthier coping mechanisms, the program offers a cognitive behaviour therapy approach to help children regulate their emotions, understand the thoughts, and make better choices through a trauma informed pedagogy focusing on building their knowledge of internal and external events, and thinking error. It also provides coping strategies, stress management tools, and encouraging adopting healthy habits.

To evaluate the results, CRS conducted a final evaluation in 2021 aiming to assess the effectiveness and sustainability of MHPSS interventions to support UASC enrol and retain in education. It includes secondary data collection through desk review of UASC attendance ledgers, monthly reports, as well as primary data collection using a mixed method approach that combined both qualitative and quantitative methods; 8 FGDs with children and caregivers, 10 KIIs with school managers, teachers, and NGO staff, 174 surveys were collected using a random sample of children and caregivers.

Findings showed that UAC’s enrollment rates in schools increased by 44% compared to 2018, prior the integration of MHPSS services. Additionally, the retention rate witnessed an 8% increase, while the dropout rate decreased by 14%. Further, the average attendance rate of UAC in schools stood at 88%. In addition to the notable commitment to Education that indicates hope for better future, students reported that these services enhanced their coping mechanisms, 94% of children reported ability to manage their emotions, not to allow external events affect their behaviors, and 95% of them reported that they are able to build constructive friendships with their peers who support them to overcome that challenges they face to commit to education.

The paper will present the impact of these holistic approaches on children’s lives, using their voices in expressing how they have become more resilient, change agents, able to find constructive ways to protest injustices, and find hope amidst the dark.




[1] UNHCR Child Protection Working Group

Authors

• Donia Abbas, Catholic Relief Service (CRS)

• Lama Waseb, Catholic Relief Services