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With a little bit of help from my friends
Green Cross comes in aid of tsunami victims
By Mahangu Weerasinghe
The sporting community of Sri Lanka this week embarked on a historic venture in aid of the victims of the tsunami. In a unique effort, Umpires, coaches and sportsmen from all over the island came together to learn how to better equip themselves to help victims of the Tsunami deal with their trauma.

Sri Lanka Cricket, through its Cricket-Aid programme recently partnered with the Sports Ministry and the Green Cross Assistance Program (GCA) in the United Sates to train Sri Lankan lay people in the area of Traumatology Training.

The Green Cross Foundation works towards helping the traumatized through research, education and professional development. The GCA came into existence in the aftermath of the Oklahoma City bombing in America and has since then helped trauma victims in many American disasters including the recent hurricanes in Florida.

The Sunday Times spoke to Kathy Regan Figley, Vice President of the Green Cross Assistance Program, about the training programme in general. "Although it appears that these volunteers are being trained to talk, they are actually being trained to listen," explained Mrs. Regan Figley. "In fact, it is good that some of them are coaches because what they will be doing is actually a type of emotional coaching," she said.

The programme, which is called a 'Training Programme on Traumatology', will equip participants to work with tsunami victims. Jim Hussey, one of the trainers involved in the programme spoke to The Sunday Times about the contents of the course.

"For the first few days we talked about disasters and peoples' responses to them," explained Mr. Hussey. "We also spoke about the difference between trauma and stress and how both affect the physiology of the body," he said. "The symptoms of trauma including physiological, emotional, spiritual and behavioural symptoms were discussed in the group as well," said Mr. Hussey.

"Towards the end of the programme we worked on how to establish a one-on-one connection with a disaster victim," he said. "One key aspect of this training was teaching participants to treat victims with respect, which is very important," he explained.

Mr. Hussey however also explained that the Green Cross Assistance was not looking at training professional counsellors. "We're just teaching the art of listening," said Mr. Hussey. "We feel that these public figures can provide a great service just by listening," he said.

He explained that victims with serious trauma problems would be referred to professional counsellors. "The participants of this programme are just equipped to provide victims with basic tools such as relaxation and breathing techniques," said Mr. Hussey.

Mrs. Regan Figley then explained how the volunteers would spread out throughout the country. "The volunteers will spread out to a number of refugee camps islandwide," she said. "They will be accompanied by two Green Cross supervisors in each camp as well," she explained.

Mrs. Regan Figley said that Sri Lanka Cricket was doing a great service to the country. "Because of their stature in public, these sports personalities are in a unique position to help the country, especially by reaching out to children," she explained.

"I have never seen a sports agency do this in the world," said Mrs. Regan Figley. "For example, in the United States, if the American Football teams had done this at times of national disaster, there would have been an amazing response from the victims," she said.

"I must compliment Sri Lanka Cricket on their initiative in this matter," said Mrs. Regan Figley. "They have taken the lead in a crucial area in Tsunami relief," she said.

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