For many young people, the path to the future is often blocked by the weight of the past and the unspoken stories they carry. Healing begins when a person is given the tools to look back at their journey with clarity and courage.
In partnership with Dero Arts, we conducted a psycho social support session using River of Life and Body Mapping to help youth under our Okiri Digital and Financial Literacy Project explore the significant events that have shaped who they are today.
This session was meant to provide a safe space for self-discovery. By visualizing their life experiences, these young individuals began the important work of understanding their personal history and reclaiming their narrative.
Navigating the River of Life
The River of Life is a powerful way for youth to reflect on the events that have defined them. In their drawings, the river represents their life’s journey, the calm waters of peace, the rocks of challenge, and the waterfalls of sudden change. For many, this was the first time they were invited to look at their past, not as a series of mistakes, but as a journey of survival and resilience.
By identifying these significant life events, the youth were able to see the patterns in their lives. This reflection is a critical part of psycho-social support, as it helps young people process trauma and recognize the internal strengths they have developed along the way. Understanding where you have been is essential to deciding where you want to go
Body Mapping: The Language of the Body
While the river maps the external journey, Body Mapping explores the internal one. This activity helped the youth identify how their life experiences, both joyful and painful, are stored within them. Through life-sized art, they explored where they hold tension, where they find strength, and how their emotions connect to their physical well-being.
Psychosocial support is at the heart of everything we do at Okiri. We recognize that a young person cannot thrive if their emotional and mental well-being is ignored. When youth are given the chance to process significant life events, they are better equipped to build healthy relationships and make positive choices for their future.
A Path Toward Transformation
The maps represent a commitment to the idea that every young person deserves the opportunity to heal from their past and move forward with a sense of purpose.
Through Okiri, we will continue to provide these vital spaces for expression. Our goal is to ensure that no young person has to navigate their journey alone, and that every river eventually finds its way to a sea of opportunity and peace.