Voices Unbroken was created in response to the urgent and growing mental health needs of Afghan refugee children in Quetta, Balochistan, following large-scale displacement caused by conflict and instability in Afghanistan. Many of these children arrived with severe psychological distress, including trauma, anxiety, depression, and social withdrawal, yet had no access to appropriate or culturally sensitive mental health services.
As a youth-led organisation working directly in refugee and marginalised communities, we witnessed firsthand how schools were unable to address children’s emotional and psychological needs beyond basic education. There was a clear gap between the scale of trauma and the availability of support systems, especially in low-resource, crisis-affected settings.
We created this innovation to bridge that gap by bringing mental health support directly into schools and community spaces in a form that children can safely access and relate to. Instead of relying on traditional clinical models that are often inaccessible or stigmatised, we designed a trauma-informed approach using art, play, and music therapies that allow children to express and process trauma in non-verbal, culturally meaningful ways.
The innovation also responds to the need for community ownership and sustainability in mental health care. By training local teachers, facilitators, and caregivers, and embedding healing spaces within schools, we aimed to build a long-term, scalable model that st
In practice, Voices Unbroken operates through structured, school- and community-based trauma-informed healing rooms established within partner schools in refugee-hosting areas of Quetta, Balochistan.
Each healing room is a safe, child-friendly space equipped with art materials, musical instruments, storytelling resources, and play-based tools. Children aged 6–12 attend regular weekly sessions facilitated by trained psychologists, art therapists, music therapists, and local educators.
Sessions are structured around three core components: emotional expression, guided therapeutic activities, and group reflection. Children engage in drawing, painting, storytelling, role-play, and music-based activities that help them express trauma experiences that are often difficult to verbalise. Group activities also encourage peer support, trust-building, and emotional regulation.
The innovation also extends beyond the sessions themselves. Teachers and caregivers are trained in basic trauma-informed approaches so that healing continues in classrooms and homes. Parents are engaged through awareness sessions to reduce stigma around mental health and strengthen supportive environments for children.
To ensure quality and learning, the program uses simple but structured monitoring tools, including baseline and follow-up assessments, observation checklists, and child well-being indicators. Feedback from children, teachers, and parents is continuously used to adapt activities to local cultural prac
Voices Unbroken has been spreading through a phased, partnership-driven expansion model rooted in pilot implementation, donor collaboration, and community acceptance within refugee-hosting areas of Quetta, Balochistan.
The innovation first emerged from small-scale, community-based trauma-informed pilot sessions conducted by YAD in informal learning spaces with Afghan refugee children. Based on positive outcomes and strong community demand, the model was formally structured and expanded through a funded partnership with the Refugee Trauma Initiative (now Amna) in 2022.
Following this initial phase, the approach was further refined and scaled through a strategic partnership with the Peace of Mind Foundation (Switzerland), which supported implementation from 2023 onward and enabled expansion into school-based healing rooms across multiple partner schools. This phase strengthened the model’s structure, introduced more systematic monitoring and evaluation, and increased the number of trained facilitators.
The innovation has also grown through capacity building and local ownership. Teachers, psychologists, and community facilitators trained under the program have begun applying trauma-informed and arts-based methods within their own settings, helping the approach extend beyond direct project activities.
In parallel, documentation, learning materials, and visual storytelling (including exhibitions and media outputs) have helped share the model with other stakeholders, increasing
Over time, Voices Unbroken has been continuously refined based on field experience, evaluation findings, and feedback from children, teachers, and caregivers.
Initially, the intervention focused primarily on small-group art-based psychosocial sessions. However, after observing children’s diverse emotional needs, the model was expanded to include a broader range of therapeutic modalities, including structured play therapy, music-based expression, and storytelling, allowing for more inclusive and non-verbal engagement.
We also strengthened the integration of the innovation within schools by establishing dedicated “healing rooms” rather than conducting sessions in temporary or shared spaces. This shift improved consistency, safety, and ownership within school environments.
Another key modification was the increased involvement of teachers and parents. Early implementation showed that without caregiver engagement, progress in children’s emotional well-being was limited to session hours. As a result, we introduced structured training for teachers and awareness sessions for parents to extend trauma-informed support beyond the therapy space.
In addition, we improved our Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) system by incorporating standardised psychometric tools (such as CPSS and HTQ), along with simplified child-friendly observation tools. This helped better track emotional and behavioural changes over time.
Finally, we strengthened cultural adaptation by integrating more A
To try Voices Unbroken, an organisation or school would begin by identifying a safe, quiet space within the school or community that can be transformed into a child-friendly healing room. This space is then equipped with basic, low-cost materials such as drawing paper, colours, craft supplies, simple musical instruments, and storytelling resources.
Next, facilitators such as teachers, social workers, or community volunteers are trained in basic trauma-informed and child-centred approaches. This training focuses on creating safe emotional environments, recognising signs of distress, and using art, play, and music as tools for expression rather than diagnosis or clinical treatment.
Once the space and facilitators are ready, regular group sessions are introduced for children, typically once or twice a week. These sessions follow simple, structured activities that include creative expression, guided play, storytelling, and group reflection. The focus is on emotional safety, expression, and peer support rather than formal therapy.
At the same time, parents and caregivers are engaged through awareness sessions to help them understand children’s emotional needs and reduce stigma around mental health. Teachers are also encouraged to integrate trauma-sensitive practices into daily classroom interactions.
Finally, simple monitoring tools, such as observation notes and well-being check-ins, are used to track changes in children’s emotional and social well-being, allowing the approach
