Children on the move are particularly vulnerable at risk of not being able to access support and advice. Among other reasons, the language barrier can make it difficult for child helpline counsellors and other support actors. The Smile of the Child in Greece noticed this need and reached out to SAWA, Palestine, to work together to create a collaborative structure to improve support for Arabic-speaking children on the move residing in Greece.
As of April 2018, the child helplines at Smile of the Child and SAWA are interconnected. When the counsellors at the Smile of the Child receives a call from a child who does not speak Greek or English, they can add a counsellor from SAWA as part of a three-way call. The counsellors at SAWA are better suited to support with translation than a regular translator, as they are familiar with psycho-social terminology and children’s rights. Watch the video below to learn more about the project, and how you can support.
Do you want to find out more about this project? Check out the Smile of the Child or SAWA.