{"id":117906,"date":"2026-07-15T11:52:24","date_gmt":"2026-07-15T09:52:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.intersos.org\/?p=117906"},"modified":"2026-07-15T11:52:24","modified_gmt":"2026-07-15T09:52:24","slug":"lisan-project-intersos-refugee-children-libya","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intersos.org\/en\/lisan-project-intersos-refugee-children-libya\/","title":{"rendered":"Libya: how psychosocial support protects and transforms the lives of refugee children"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;935500&#8243;]<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since the eruption of conflict in Sudan in 2023, <strong>Libya has witnessed a continuous influx of people seeking safety, and as of mid-2026 hosts over 559,000 Sudanese refugees.<\/strong> Individuals and families fleeing violence endure long, difficult journeys marked by often-repeated displacement, widespread insecurity, and limited access to basic services and resources. Many of these families transit through, others settle, in places like <strong>Sabha, Ajdabiya, or Tripoli<\/strong>. <strong>For children, the emotional toll of leaving their homes and navigating such instability is profound, leaving them highly vulnerable and in urgent need of protection.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<h2>The Lisan Project and <strong>Baity Centers<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To address these critical needs, since January 2025, INTERSOS carries out the <strong><em>Libya Safety Net and Resilience Programme for vulnerable communities<\/em><\/strong> (<strong>LISAN<\/strong>) <strong>project<\/strong>, partnering in a consortium alongside the <strong>Danish Refugee Council (DRC)<\/strong> and the <strong>Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)<\/strong>. Made possible by the financial support of the European Union, this initiative aims to improve access to essential services, promote safer communities, and enhance local capacities to respond to the protection risks faced by vulnerable populations, including Migrants, Refugees, Asylum Seekers (MRAS), Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), and Host Communities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At the heart of INTERSOS\u2019 response are the Community Centers &#8211; also called \u201c<strong>Baity Centers<\/strong>\u201d, which serve as safe, protective spaces for vulnerable and at-risk individuals in Tripoli, Ajdabiya, and Sabha, with a particular focus on children. Recognizing that children require more than just physical safety, INTERSOS focuses on Individual Case Management and Psychosocial Support as core protection activities. For children and individuals facing the most severe protection risks, INTERSOS case workers provide an integrated individual case management package, delivering comprehensive <strong>direct assistance that includes psychological first aid, specialised psychosocial and legal counseling, and targeted internal and external referrals<\/strong>. In parallel, through <strong>creative expression, cooperative games, and emotional learning, PSS activities help children navigate trauma, build positive coping mechanisms, and restore a sense of normalcy to their lives.<\/strong><\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243;][vc_single_image media=&#8221;117894&#8243; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;130441&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;171378&#8243;]<\/p>\n<h2><strong>The stories of Khalil, Omar and Aisha<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The impact of these activities, funded by the EU, is most visible in the children who have found a safe space within the Baity Centers. <strong>In 2024, 11-year-old twins Khalil and Omar were forced to flee Sudan with their family<\/strong>. Their journey to Libya was harrowing; they experienced theft and insecurity before eventually settling in a camp for Sudanese refugees in Ajdabiya. The prolonged displacement took a significant toll on the boys&#8217; emotional well-being, hindering their ability to interact with others. Upon enrolling at the INTERSOS Baity Center, the twins began attending structured PSS sessions. Over time, these protection activities helped the brothers regain their confidence and emotional stability. <strong>Khalil and Omar rebuilt positive relationships with their peers and discovered healthy ways to express themselves<\/strong>, with Omar finding a particular joy in drawing. Today, they look forward to attending the center every day, and their mother is proud of their improvements.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before the war, <strong>9-year-old Aisha<\/strong> enjoyed a peaceful childhood in Sudan. By the time she reached Sabha, the fear and uncertainty of displacement had left her deeply withdrawn. During her first days at the center, Aisha was easily overwhelmed, avoided eye contact, and spoke so quietly she could barely be heard. To support her, INTERSOS team introduced structured PSS activities specifically designed to help children process their emotions safely. <strong>Using drawing, emotion cards, and interactive exercises, Aisha gradually learned to recognize and communicate her feelings rather than crying when she felt overwhelmed.<\/strong> Through group games and role-playing, she began to build friendships and trust. The once-withdrawn child transformed into an emotionally resilient, confident girl who now actively participates in group decision-making and willingly shares with her peers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>For Khalil, Omar, and Aisha, INTERSOS Baity Centers have become much more than just a place to go during the day. They are vital protective environments where children can heal from the invisible wounds of conflict.<\/strong> Thanks to the financial contribution of the European Union and the collaborative efforts of the DRC, NRC, and INTERSOS consortium, these targeted protection interventions are empowering children to rebuild their lives, reconnect with their childhoods, and look toward the future with renewed hope.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;935500&#8243;]Since the eruption of conflict in Sudan in 2023, Libya has witnessed a continuous influx of people seeking [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":55,"featured_media":117898,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[682],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-117906","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lybia"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Libya: how psychosocial support protects and transforms the lives of refugee children | INTERSOS<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Through the LISAN project, INTERSOS provides protection, psychosocial support, and legal aid to refugee children in Libya&#039;s Baity Centres. 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