When conflict erupted in Kediba (Dosho) in September 2025, Munia Michael Kenneth, a mother of five-three boys and two girls—was forced to make a life-changing decision. Within days, she gathered her children and joined other families fleeing toward safety, leaving behind everything they had known.
Their journey to Mundri West was long and uncertain. Walking for days through unsafe routes, they survived on little food and lived with constant fear of what they might encounter along the way. For Munia, every step was driven by one thought: keeping her children alive.
“We had no choice but to leave,” she recalls. “Staying there was becoming too dangerous for the children.”
When they finally arrived in Mundri West, safety brought relief, but life remained extremely difficult. With no stable income and limited support, Munia struggled to meet even the most basic needs of her children. School became a distant hope as daily survival took priority over education.
“Sometimes I look at my children and I feel helpless,” she says quietly. “I want them to go to school, but I do not have money for that.”
Like many displaced families, Munia’s days were filled with uncertainty, emotional stress, and the constant challenge of rebuilding life from nothing. Her children often remained idle, with few safe spaces to play or interact meaningfully with others.
That began to change when Child Friendly Spaces (CFs) were established by EVE Organization for Women Development in WGFS Mundri West.
At first, Munia was unsure what to expect. But after her children began attending the sessions, she noticed a shift she had not seen in months.
“They come back smiling,” she says. “They talk, they sing, they draw. It is like they are children again.”
children smiles during play at the Child Friendly Space in Mundri West, where displaced children are finding safety, joy, and healing
As she witnessed the positive impact of the Child Friendly Spaces on her children, Munia gradually became more actively involved in the wider community response. Motivated by the visible changes in her children’s wellbeing, she began volunteering alongside other women to support the mobile Child Friendly Spaces, assisting in the preparation and distribution of porridge provided by EVE Organization for Women Development.
Through this role, she contributed to the nutrition of children attending the sessions while becoming part of a collective effort by caregivers working to restore stability, dignity, and hope within the community.
Munia joins other women like Dunia in preparing and serving porridge provided by EVE Organization for Women Development to children attending the mobile Child Friendly Spaces in hai Mirikalaga area.
For Munia, this opportunity allowed her to contribute to the well-being of children in her community while supporting an initiative that had brought comfort and happiness to her own family.
“When I see the children eating and playing together, I feel happy,” she says. “It reminds me that even during difficult times, we can still support one another.”
Her participation reflects the growing involvement of caregivers in Child Friendly Space activities and demonstrates how community members are contributing to creating a supportive environment for children affected by conflict and displacement.
At the CFs, her children now take part in group games, storytelling, singing sessions, drawing, and other recreational activities designed to support psychosocial well-being and help children recover from the stress of displacement. The simple act of playing with other children has brought back moments of joy that were missing from their daily lives.
A photo of children participating in drawing and coloring sessions at the Child Friendly Space
For Munia, the change goes beyond entertainment. She says the space has given her children emotional relief and helped them reconnect with normal childhood experiences.
Before, her children spent most of their time idle and and quiet. Now, they look forward to attending CFs sessions, where they interact with peers, express themselves through creative activities, and feel safe in a structured environment.
One of her children shared:
“When I go there, I play with other friends and forget that i don’t go to school. I feel happy.”
Her participation reflects the growing involvement of caregivers in child protection activities and demonstrates how community members are contributing to a more supportive environment for children affected by conflict and displacement.
Inside the Child Friendly Spaces, her children now take part in group games, storytelling, singing sessions, drawing, and other recreational activities designed to support psychosocial wellbeing and help them recover from the stress of displacement. The simple act of playing with other children has restored moments of joy that were missing from their daily lives.
For Munia, the change goes beyond entertainment. She says the space has given her children emotional relief and helped them reconnect with normal childhood experiences.
Before, her children spent most of their time idle and quiet. Now, they look forward to attending CF sessions, where they interact with peers, express themselves through creative activities, and feel safe in a structured environment.
Community members and caregivers have also acknowledged the importance of such spaces, noting that children who participate are more active, expressive, and socially engaged compared to those without access to structured activities.
Although challenges remain, including limited materials and high demand, the impact of the Child Friendly Spaces is visible in the renewed energy, laughter, and participation of children like Munia’s.
For Munia, the change is simple but meaningful. Her children may still be far from school and stability, but they are no longer living in silence and fear.
“There is still a long way to go,” she says. “But at least now, my children smile again.”
In Mundri West, healing is not only about survival—it is about restoring childhood, one game, one song, and one safe space at a time.
