Unathi Mabena
Unathi worked with Motheo Training Institute Trust. Motheo Training Institute Trust is a South African based public benefit trust that operates as a multi-training centre, offering quality early childhood developmental services and other developmental studies throughout South Africa.
Community Engagement Initiative
Unathi’s work centered on intergenerational trauma and creating space for community to come together to share their stories of resilience. The Storytelling Session brought together seven community members at the Philippi Arts Centre in Philippi, Western Cape South Africa to discuss community, connectedness and tackling intergenerational trauma. Unathi also conducted interviews with community members to include their recommendations in her report.
Report
Children are a highly marginalized group within society, which amplifies their risk of exposure to trauma. As early childhood development is a period of rapid development where children have limited coping capabilities and are dependent on their primary caregivers for physical and emotional support, children are especially vulnerable to experiences of adverse outcomes. The following participatory research study aims to find the link between intergenerational trauma and social connectedness in early childhood development, particularly focusing on the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on low-resource communities in South Africa. The findings demonstrated that intergenerational trauma does have an impact on children’s social connectedness. It was also found that social connectedness increased children’s coping resources, as well as their access to said resources. Connection was also found to be the golden thread found in the resources required to help children cope and face challenges in their lives.
Read Unathi’s blog: Enhancing the Wellbeing of Children in South Africa Includes Investing in Education Institutions
Bio
Unathi Mabena (she/her) is a recent graduate from North-West University with an Honours degree in Psychology. Growing up in Pretoria, South Africa, and working as a life coach for learners at her high school, ignited her love for psychology, and particularly, working with children and adolescents. It takes a village to raise a child and Unathi believes in working collaboratively to build healthy environments where children can flourish and thrive. She became activated to empower and support such communities in an effort to make mental health services accessible resources which can contribute towards holistic health and wellbeing. Unathi is passionate about psychology and the development of children and aspires to pursue a Masters degree in Clinical Psychology.
Keywords
Intergenerational trauma, social connectedness, resilience, children, early childhood development, South Africa, coping resources, participatory research, COVID-19 pandemic.