Seeing the gathering clouds in the sky and roaring of thunder, Kartika, a 12-year-old kid of Salia Sahi scurries for cover in the corner of his house in the slum.
Similarly, Sony (10) of the same slum complains of bouts of fear and nausea every time the sky opens up. All these symptoms were noticed after the Cyclone Fani by the volunteers of Society for Nature, Education and Health (SNEH), an NGO working with the slum children of Salia Sahi in Bhubaneswar.
The earlier experience of the organisation working with Supper Cyclone affected children of Erasama block of Jagatsinghpur district helped them suspect Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among these slum children.
A team of psychologists were consulted and a PTSD program for the affected children was launched in the area. The children gather in the recreation and activity center set up by SNEH at Mayfair Nagar habitation of the Salia Sahi slum in the morning.
Four volunteers help them with their studies doing holiday home works and doubt clearing in subjects.
Thereafter, the psychologists conduct various group counseling programmes involving them in creative activities. One theatre activist Satyabrat Panda has also conducted theatre workshops for the affected children.
Kartik and Sony and a few like them have also been extended individual counselling services by the psychologists. Since the schools are closed for summer vacation, a nutritious mid-day meal is served to about 100 slum children who are the participants.