What is Dramatherapy?
Dramatherapy is a form of psychotherapy that utilizes storytelling, acting, music, art and play to facilitate healthy socioemotional development in children.
-Donna Jennings, dramatherapist
The Desert Rose Program
The Desert Program is our newest program to be launched in Iraq! It is an 8-week program for girls age 10 - 16 who are living in challenging situations. This program was inspired by pre-teen girls in an IDP camp who previously participated in our Listening Stone Program. In letters to the “Listening Stone”, they shared heartbreaking stories about the sadness and loneliness they face daily.
The Desert Rose program tells the fictional story of Mahabba (Arabic for “beloved”), a curious girl who embarks on a journey to find a city of gold. Weaved into the story are themes of purpose, identity, beauty and self-worth designed to support any girl on the journey to womanhood.
We are currently running two simultaneous cycles of the program among Syrian refugee girls.
Program Status: Two cycles ongoing
The Listening Stone Program
The Listening Stone Program is a 2-part program for children in displaced settings who have experienced trauma. Part One follows the fictional story of an orphan girl called No-Name who embarks on a journey to find a talking seashell called the Listening Stone. Each session focuses on a part of her journey as she learns about friendship, courage, loss, & resilience.
In Part Two, the children learn how No-Name, now called Precious, finds the courage to defeat monsters and claims her destiny as princess of a long lost kingdom. It solidifies many of the themes in Part One and introduces new themes such as overcoming adversity, working together, and cultivating hope.
Children Testimonials
“I love the program. I am happy because you came and you let us be happy and you played games with us. And you make us just be in love.”
“I love being here and I love the No Name. I love the games and I feel safe here.”
“I became kinder to animals and little kids.”
“I love the story and now I am Precious.”
“When I wrote about my feelings, I felt a change.”
Parent Testimonials
“My children learned to be respectful and how to write.”
“My son used to be a trouble maker. Before, I would hear two or three complaints about him everyday. But now, it’s been a few weeks and I have heard nothing.”
“My son waits for the program all week and asks everyday, ‘Is it Wednesday?’ Since the program, he has been less clingy to me, which really helps me get work done.”
Program Status: Five cycles completed. We are currently raising funds to launch the Listening Stone Program in a new community.
Sam’s House Program
Dramatherapist Donna Jennings founded For The Love of a Child in 2010 following the tragic loss of her son Samuel who died aged 5 from heart failure. His death was the catalyst to set up the charity that would bring help and healing and hope to children all around the world.
“Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies it cannot bear fruit”
Sam’s House, written for children in pre-school and kindergarten, was the first dramatherapy program written by Donna Jennings following the loss of Samuel. It has since brought joy and healing to children in Afghanistan, Lebanon, Iraq, India and the UK.
Program Status: One cycle completed.