There are many great, essential things that you have to keep in mind if you want to help refugees. Take note that these individuals have gone through horrible things and experiences. As such, they may have different reactions to everything that they encounter. Even if your intentions are 100% pure, they may interpret what you do negatively. At the same time, they may also become unaware of how to receive help.
PTSD is a disorder that develops in some people who have experienced a shocking, scary, or dangerous event. The condition may include flashbacks — reliving the trauma over and over, including physical symptoms like a racing heart or sweating; bad dreams, and frightening thoughts. —
Because of all this, it is right to say that the task of comforting refugees is a challenging thing that you have to remember. Always keep in mind that extending your helping hands to these people will require more patience and diligence on your part. Despite the struggles that you encounter, be sure that you will never give up on them. Here are the things that you must do:
Slow Down
The first thing to take note of is the necessity to slow down when it comes to presenting yourself to them. Do not expect them to receive your assistance right away. Instead, find a way to approach them in the right manner. As much as possible, do not be aggressive in pushing yourself to the refugees. Give them time to see that you are truly and genuinely interested in helping them.
Most deal with the discrepancy of their expectations towards the host country not matching their new realities. Then there is the lacking trust: towards the foreign therapists, or the native interpreters. — Marianna Pogosyan Ph.D.
Use The Right Words
Another tip to remember is the significance of choosing your words wisely. Learn how to think twice before you will open your mouth. Otherwise, there is a high tendency that you will end up offending the other person. When this happens, you will do more harm to them than good. As a result, they will feel more oppressed because you were careless of your words.
Volunteer With Others
Make sure that you will also find time to connect with other volunteers who want to focus on helping refugees. Take note that the more people you have on the team, the bigger help you can provide to the war victims. It is best to find existing organizations that are dedicated to providing assistance to those who are in need. Do not hesitate to contact the volunteers from these organizations and inform them about your interest in helping.
All too often they were deprived of the opportunity to say “goodbye,” as people vanished from one day to the next, removed by warring factions, authorities, wild beasts, or natural disasters. — Lisa Aronson Fontes Ph.D.
Make Them Feel Loved
Aside from the medical and food supplies that the refugees need, you must also make an effort to provide them acceptance. Let them feel that you are interested in loving them. Do not make a mistake of showing these people that you are helping them because you want to feel good. Instead, prove to them that you are willing to do whatever it takes to express your love to them. When this happens, their morale will improve.
Conclusion
Helping and comforting others will never become an easy task on your first try. There will be tons of challenges that you may need to deal with along the way. However, once you do it regularly, it will become part of your system. If this happens, everything will start to become a lot easier and more satisfying than ever. Make sure to never give up on the war victims or refugees.