At a Child-Friendly Space near Mosul, Iraq, children whose families fled conflict now play and enjoy social interaction in a safe, supportive environment.

World Vision’s child protection staff provide safe spaces for children to play in the newly constructed Zelican camp, just 15 miles northeast of Mosul, Iraq.

“Our Child-Friendly Spaces provide a safe place for children to come to terms with the violence they’ve seen and just take time to play as children again amidst the chaos of this conflict,” says Aaron.

World Vision is one of the first agencies to provide aid to children in the camp.

“One little boy who is five years old arrived at the camp too terrified to speak,” says Aaron. “He was not mixing with the other children; he was simply staring at them.” The boy had seen his 15-year-old brother killed when they fled.

“Thankfully, with the support of a trained World Vision psychologist, he was able to say his name by the end of the day. However, this is just the beginning of what could be years of specialist support, as children begin to rebuild their lives and regain a sense of normality.”

Photo©2016 World Vision, Nick Ralph