JOHOR BAHRU, Jan 27 — Emotional management and organising activities for flood victims housed at temporary relief centres (PPS) are among the main tasks for the Social Welfare Department (JKM) every time flood strikes.
Johor JKM director Mohamad Hapil said as the leading agency in the Committee on Activities at PPS, the JKM has the role of providing psychological support, crisis intervention and carrying out activities for flood victims taking shelter at the centres.
He said those activities were believed capable of helping the flood victims, in terms of managing their emotional state and keeping them busy, so that they would remain mentally stable after being evacuated from home due to the floods.
“They are mostly worried about the safety of their stuff at home, their farms and livestock, and probably just felt sick and tired of being flood victims each year.
“So, participating in activities organised by the JKM at the PPS is like a cooling period for them…to prevent themselves from thinking too much about their current situation which may cause psychological stress,” he told Bernama here.
Mohamad said among the interventions and programmes carried out for the elderly, people with disabilities (OKU) and adults are individual guidance, group guidance, batik-dyeing, embroidery, balloon twisting and various other activities.
For children and teenagers, he said the activities include mind games, sand art, 3D puzzle, colouring, card games, UNO and so on.
Apart from emotional management and organising those activities, JKM also provided cooked meals for the victims and workers at the PPS.
As of Jan 25, the agency has mobilised 120 workers to manage the PPS and disaster operations rooms in various states and districts.
