World

After Conflict And Violence, These Refugee Kids Draw What They Saw

UNICEF says about 1 in 4 kids live in a conflict or disaster zone.

After Conflict And Violence, These Refugee Kids Draw What They Saw
UNICEF
Article by Melissa Prax
SMS
October 12, 2017

For refugee kids, conflict can come up in their drawings.

"Soldiers used to shoot people," 11-year-old refugee Munjurali said. "They killed my two sisters. So we fled here."

These kids are from Myanmar. The United Nations says 515,000 Rohingya refugees have fled the country since the end of August.

'Sesame Street' Is Helping Kids Cope With Trauma

'Sesame Street' Is Helping Kids Cope With Trauma

The creators of "Sesame Street" made videos and multimedia tools to help kids cope with traumatic events.

LEARN MORE

And around the world, UNICEF says almost 1 in 4 kids live in a conflict or disaster zone.

But experts say using art as therapy can be helpful — especially for refugees. That's because drawing can be easier than talking about trauma.

Plus, kids who go through conflict often lose out on doing fun activities, like arts and crafts.

"I'm enjoying being here and playing," Munjurali said. "I'm happy. At home, I couldn't go to school or play properly."