Global Missions

ATOP of MeaningfulWorld Team Returns From Haiti: Delivering Psychosocial and Spiritual Rehabilitation Haiti – New York March –April 2010 Dr. Ani Kalayjian & ATOP Team Imagine you have no home, no running water, no electricity, and no food. Ten people from your family have been killed as a result of the earthquake. You are in shock and suffering from the after effects caused by these traumatic events. This stress-related condition is known as post traumatic stress disorder or PTSD, which is a prime focus of ATOP’s post trauma healing. The first team for the Association for Trauma Outreach & Prevention (ATOP) of Meaningfulworld witnessed many people in this dire situation. Well over 50% of Haiti’s population is suffering from these calamitous issues of survival. ATOP’s first team recently returned from Haiti after connecting with and orienting the second ATOP team from Canada, who arrived to continue the psychosocial and spiritual rehabilitation. The first ATOP team spearheaded by Dr Kalayjian included: Julie Lira, movement therapist; Dana Mark, Clinical Social Worker; Ghen Zado-Dennis, videographer; and Ariana Reines, interpreter and worker with children. This team conducted a series of psychosocial rehabilitation programs to help the survivors recover from feelings of helplessness, fear, nightmares and uncertainty, which are normal symptoms after such a horrendous calamity. The ATOP team worked with teachers, orphans, adults and children in tent cities, hospitals, orphanages, and the community at large. They also trained Social Workers and Psychologists. The second ATOP team continued the work until April 6. Presently, ATOP is concentrating on organizing the next team to be deployed to Haiti, and desperately needs your support to succeed in this humanitarian endeavor. The catastrophic effect of the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, 2010, has debilitated the country leaving over 250,000 dead, thousands handicapped, and 1.5 million homeless. The destruction is overwhelming but the people are resilient, ingenious, and religious, even though they are traumatized, displaced, dehydrated and in despair. The threat of disease looms overhead. The amount of care needed will increase as some have not yet been properly treated for injuries sustained in the quake. Preventative measures, such as vaccinations and condom distribution, will help stave off communicable diseases and viruses in the face of clean water shortage and the impending rainy season. We learned first hand just how violent and unforgiving the rain is one night as it pelted the roof – it was as if someone was relentlessly whipping the roof. But we were fortunate to have a roof, unlike the thousands who did not have any shelter. The rain soaked tents, streets, clothing, food, and the people to their very core. However, the next day children still came to play at our art therapy tents, who were still damp from the rain. The biggest observation we made about the relief efforts was the lack of a distribution mechanism for the supplied goods. We have all heard how the United States alone raised millions of dollars, but there were no evidence of it. We also know that the money is there, as we have been hearing about it raised being raised through concerts, celebrity events, schools, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), governments, the United Nations, and others; all given with the good intention of helping the suffering people. We did not see any evidence of this money in Haiti. There was a lack of cleaning and clearing of debris, and not enough tents or shelters being distributed; we actually saw very little construction or rebuilding for that matter. The ATOP team saw no organized effort to create a system for distribution, except 10 – 20 hour waits on long lines, in hundred degree heat to collect some rice and beans. The ATOP team was greatly challenged to focus on the Haitian’s psychosocial rehabilitation as the people’s basic needs were unmet. In the short term, it became obvious that the survivors needed sturdy, water-proof tents, access to both potable water and water for washing and cooking, and temporary toilet facilities. Even our interpreters had no tents. When we inquired, we found that tarps that cost $14 in the US were being sold for $20 in Haiti. Haiti needs help with debris removal and a green system for garbage removal. The current practice of simply piling trash to fester near homes, hospitals, and markets, or burning it resulting in the release of toxins into the air, only serves to exacerbate health threats. In addition, survivors need a rotating volunteer pool of physicians, nurses, social workers, psychologists and other physical and mental health specialists, which needs to be maintained and sustained over the coming years. Our ATOP team took part in the staff meetings at the Community Hospital on a daily basis. These meetings dealt with all issues and especially focused on resolving any uncovered deficiencies. As Ghen Zado said so eloquently, “In the long term, Haitian people need help revitalizing the rural agricultural base into a sustainable system, having standing homes inspected for safety, and training in techniques for building earthquake resistant structures. Even the orphanage we worked in, while serving as a shelter, had no mattresses on the metal cots and the ‘toilet’ in the sleeping rooms was so foul that it burned our nostrils. “ The ATOP team was very grateful for receiving many donated items. We had over ten luggages full of donations; however, we had to pay $150 to American Airlines for the extra weight. A shipping system must be quickly developed in order that small NGOs, or even individuals, are able to send supplies and tents for disaster relief , with the assurance that they will be received and disbursed and not hoarded, lost, or sold in the black market. This could be implemented by a foreign shipping company which could also provide jobs at the local level. Haitians desperately need their education system improved. They need free and accessible education for all sponsored by the government. The ATOP team was told that only 20% of the school system was

YOUR HELP IS URGENTLY NEEDED!!! HAITI: ATOP Meaningfulworld Mission on Psychosocial Rehabilitation Port au Prince, Haiti on 10th March 2010: We have heard the dollar amounts raised and donated to Haiti after the catastrophic effect of the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck the nation of Haiti on January 12, 2010, which has debilitated the country leaving over 200,000 dead, thousands handicapped, and 1.5 million homeless. First team of ATOP spearheaded by Dr. Kalayjian included: Julie Lira, Dana Mark, Ghen Zado-Dennis, Ariana Reines, just returned on March 20, 2010 after conducting series of psychosocial rehabilitation programs to help recovery from feelings of helplessness, fear, nightmares and uncertainty; as well as training Social Worker and Psychology students. ATOP’s second team is working until April 6th; we are looking to form or third team. ATOP will continue to support the people in Haiti who do not know where to begin their life, weeping over the missing families, looking at piles of concrete hiding the uncounted dead bodies of their loved ones and fighting for life in a tent without food and water under torrent rains. You can help Haitian survivors get back on their feet. Make your donation today to ATOP of Meaningfulworld and see your donations used directly to heal thousands of people in need. www.Meaningfulworld.com   135 Cedar Street, Cliffside Park, NJ 07010

ATOP Meaningfulworld Mental Health Outreach Project goes to Haiti Jan 2010 – Press release As most of us have undoubtedly heard and seen the catastrophic effect of the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck the nation of Haiti on January 12, 2010, which has debilitated the country leaving over 200,000 dead, thousands injured, and 1.5 million homeless. Haiti’s economy, having been debilitated by political and social instability before the quake, is not well-equipped to deal with the magnitude of this disaster. At this early stage, many news organizations, such as CNN have reported difficulties in bringing aid to the region as many of Haiti’s ports have also been destroyed by the quake, and its airport was not equipped to handle the large air traffic of incoming aid. Frustration and violence have added to the chaos, and basic supplies such as food, water, clothing and much needed medical care are sought. Stories of missing persons, survival and rescue plague the news. However, the human capacity to bring hope and charity to those in need during these tragic times has paved the way to an outpouring of donations and rescue and medical teams from all over the world: Doctors without Borders, The Red Cross, UNICEF, etc. Once the rescue efforts have subsided, relief teams have departed only then the planning for psychosocial rehabilitation begins. Haiti will be in need for psychological assistance to cope with the devastation. The loss of loved ones, the loss of limb, the fear of the unknown and what the future will hold for them, is a slow and painstaking psychological recovery process. The Association for Trauma Outreach & Prevention (ATOP) of Meaningfulworld, an international charitable organization devoted to fostering a meaningful, peaceful, and just world, is assisting the Haitian community in NY greater tri-state by providing phone consultations, PTSD briefing, consultations, and education. ATOP is also planning a mission to Haiti starting on March 10th 2010. We have over 15 volunteer professionals who have offered to join our three Missions to Haiti. We invite volunteers fluent in Creole and/or French to aide us in conducting trainings for Haiti’s mental health professionals as well as facilitating healing and processing groups. This mission however, cannot be successful without your continued and generous support. The aftermath of a disaster follows a long and challenging rehabilitation process. We appeal to you and express gratitude for your kindness for your donation in providing psychosocial and spiritual help to the people of Haiti. Kindly send donations to (checks payable to ATOP): ATOP Meaningfulworld, c/o Dr. Ani Kalayjian. 135 Cedar Street, Cliffside Park, NJ 07010-1003 www.meaningfulworld.com

From Meaningfulworld Mission to Sierra Leone “Smile for Sierra Leone 🙂 …as they smile for you, despite their tragedy.” Dr. Ani Kalayjian, Founder ATOP Walking through the streets of Freetown, Bo, Gobaru, & Pujehun in Sierra Leone one witnesses the horrors of the evil war from 1987-2000 which resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths, houses burned, parks destroyed and enormous damages to the countries infrastructure.   Most of all this devastation on the surface does not seem to have destroyed the indomitable human spirit, and the monumental commitment to serve that its native people portray.   Meeting and working with Sierra Leoneans, one would easily feel at ease as their warm smiles, kind hearts, and honest approach is ever present. On first introduction, you would not know what they hold courageously inside.  Once one begins engaging deeper with the survivors, talking with them about their experiences of war, their loss, anger, fear and uncertainty loom large in the silence between each story and the emotions provoked in the telling.   Suppressed anger is rampant, with jostling brother-to-brother mindless atrocities, mutilations, and killings.   Fear and uncertainty is evoked when relating to the future.  Statements such as “perhaps they say fearfully, the war could happen once again, soon” is heard frequently. Meaningfulworld’s Association for Trauma Outreach and Prevention (ATOP), organized and implemented by Dr Kalayjian and the US team, is the first Meaningfulworld Humanitarian Outreach Project (MHOP) of 2009.   MHOP’s goals were to assess the psychosocial and spiritual needs of the surviving community and to train outreach teams in three towns; to conduct collaborative mental health research; to define and access underlying tensions and to address the needs of the surviving communities in Sierra Leone.  The research goals were to assess the levels of distress as compared to the levels of forgiveness. We express our gratitude to the collaborators in Sierra Leone, including Njala University, campuses in Freetown and Bo, The Psychosocial Network, and Saving Lives Through Alternate Options (SLAO.org).  The first Meaningfulworld Humanitarian Outreach team for Sierra Leone comprised of Dr. Kalayjian, Dr. Ken Suslak (Child Psychologists), Rev. Dana Mark (an interfaith Minister), Julie Lira (Art and Movement Therapist), and Gen Zado-Dennis (Videographer).  The team was also joined by Judith Lahai-Momo the Director of Saving Lives through Alternate Options, a US based non profit organization working in that region.  The Njala University Chancellor Prof Rhodes stated to the MHOP team, “Your arrival and your work in Sierra Leone is very timely, as the signs of violence are still erupting all around us.   Your teachings and trainings will be invaluable for us and your continued collaboration in future projects is much needed.” The first two days were spent assessing the physical and human destruction. The next two days the team was busy giving intense two-day training to the community of faculty and students in Freetown at Njala University.  The team traveled next to Njala University both in Njala, as well as to the main campus in Bo for training at the Community Health Center. Then the MHOP team traveled to Gobaru and Pujehun to work with children, adolescents, and adults using draw-and-tell art therapy techniques, and movement therapy. As Rev. Dana Mark affirms: “The trip to Africa was full of the contrasts of challenge and success.   When I think about it deeply, it was and continues to feel like an emotional balancing act, stressful, sad, but full of laughter, hope, empathy, and meaning, combined with compassion, love, patience, personal growth and much more..” The preliminary findings of the assessments done by the team indicated high levels of Post traumatic stress disorder (70%) in adults and children, and 35% in the local mental health professionals and psychosocial rehabilitators. The following were themes that were consistently expressed by the survivors:  destruction, horror, killing and mutilations. Horrific accounts were expressed one after the other.  One survivor’s three siblings were beheaded and their heads delivered on sticks; another survivor’s aunt was publicly crucified and then set on fire; a third woman survivor, who was at the time a 14 years old adolescent was raped publicly and repeatedly ridiculed and humiliated; and a fourth survivor was sold to a Nigerian Peace keeping soldier and forced to have children by him, finally managing to escape the horrors several years later.  These experiences caused feelings of enormous sadness, grieving, anger, shame, humiliation, frustration, fear, and uncertainty in the survivors. These expressions of survival further humbled the team and filled them with admiration for the enduring spirit of the people before them.  Julie Lira put it so well when she reflected, “Africa was beautiful and horrific all at once. I have to say the things that I will treasure the most from my trip are the beautiful people of Sierra Leone, their stories, and seeing their God light through their eyes; I so admire their resilience in spite of all that they suffered and endured.” Lessons learned were: Importance of their family support, that everyday living is a survival, the value of serving others, desire and hunger for education, and the value of forgiving.  As for the Meaningfulworld Team, lessons were multiple.  According to Julie: “I learned the human spirit is a strong thing that if accessed can guide us all thru a lot of trauma, and I will never forget the poverty, the lack of basic necessities.  How in one moment man can do this much harm to another man over greed is abhorant. But most of all that the power to make changes lies within each one of us.”  According to Dana the lessons were of gratitude and appreciation: “We (on this side of the world) do not realize how wonderful it is to have running water, flushing toilets, electricity and paved roads…thank you, thank you, thank you.. We also do not have the pleasure of knowing how beautiful it is to live off the land, growing our own fruits and vegetables as well as catching our dinner.”  Ken Suslak, expressed these lessons: “Above all, humility, awareness of one’s

Press Release June 2008 New York, NY: The Association for Trauma Outreach and Prevention (ATOP) has organized the second team of the Mental Health Outreach Project (MHOP) in Armenia from June 12- 22. Dr. Ani Kalayjian and Ani Jilozian, President and Public Relations Coordinator for ATOP, respectively, will be delivering this mission to Armenia.  They will be conducting post-disaster humanitarian outreach training projects, delivering lectures, working with refugees from Iraq, visiting orphanages, and setting agendas for collaborative research and future trainings. This MHOP team will be conducting training at the Stress Center.  In addition the MHOP team will visit the FAR Children’s Center to train the personnel, social workers, and psychologists in preventative and restoration methods for treating children with trauma.  They will utilize Dr. Kalayjian’s Biopsychosocial & Spiritual Model to administer the program. The team will also work with the Office of UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Yerevan who are working with the Iraqi refugees migrated to Armenia. The team will visit various children’s centers (previously called orphanages) as part of second phase of a 10-year follow-up mission to observe progress and development. Donations of clothing and supplies from several generous individuals will be given out at these centers. The team has been invited to travel to Nagorno Karapagh to assess the needs of war torn enclave, and develop training for their mental-health professionals, to conduct research, and to help the Children’s Centers. Currently ATOP has undertaken the Sponsor an Armenian Child Project: By donating $250, you can help support a child for one year, including food, clothing, and education. Please send your tax-deductible donations to ATOP and make a difference in a child’s life. You will receive a photo of the child and will be able to communicate with him or her on regular basis. Mail your checks to ATOP, subject: Sponsor Armenian Child, 135 Cedar Street, Cliffside Park, NJ 07010-1003, or visit our website at www.meaningfulworld.com.

Association for Trauma Outreach & Prevention (ATOP) Mental Health Outreach Projects (MHOP) Below is a list of Mental Helath Outreach Projects and post disaster healing, conflict transformation, training of mental health professionals, peace building, menatal health policy development, and reseach projects. 2008    Darfur, Sudan                         Post war and HIV (Planning) (Human-made) 2008    The Republic Of Armenia         Second team of MHOP (Human-made and nautral) 2007    The Republic Of Armenia         Post war follow up (Human-made and nautral) 2007    Sarajevo, Bosnia                    Post war follow up (Human-made) 2007-Present      Armenian Turkish Reconciliation   CREATE Art project for peace building 2007    Lebanon and Syria                 Post war (Human-made) 2006    Pakistan/Rawalpindi               Post earthquake of Oct 10, 2005 (Natural) 2006    New Orleans, LA, USA             Post Hurricane Katrina one year follow-up 2005    Texas, USA                           Post Hurricanes Katrina & Rita (Natural) 2004    Sri Lanka/Navaldy/Zahira        Post Tsunami (Natural) (6 months of service involving 6 teams of MHOP) 2001    New York City, NY, USA           9/11 Attacks (Training for mental health professionals for 6 months) 1999    Mexico Earthquake                 Natural 1999-Present     Arm. Turkish Reconciliation   Turkey & US (5 teams) 1998    Dominican Republic                Hurricane George 1996    Former Yugoslavia                 Ethnic Cleansing 1995    Kuwait/NYC/DC (USA)             Gulf War 1995    Kobe, Japan                          Earthquake 1994    California, USA                      Northridge Earthquake 1993    Former Yugoslavia                 Ethnic Cleansing 1993    USA                                     One year follow up to Hurricane Andrew 1992    Southern Florida (USA)           Hurricane Andrew 1990    Armenia (Soviet Republic)       One year follow up to earthquake 1989    Armenia (Soviet Republic)       Earthquake of Deceber 1988

Title:  Generational Impact of Mass Trauma of Genocide Date:  October 30, 2007 Time:  16:00 Place:  Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute (AGMI), Komitas Hall E-mail:  info@genocide-museum.am Lecturer:  Ani Kalayjian Ph.D Description:  The attempted destruction of the Armenian people by the Ottoman Turkish Government from 1895-1923 not only cost one-and-a-half million Armenian lives but created massive trauma for many of those who survived.  In this presentation Dr. Kalayjian will talk about the physical, psychosocial, and spiritual impact of Genocide on the offspring of survivors. The presentation will summarize several research studies conducted in North America with the survivors of the Genocide as well as with the offspring.  When trauma is properly processed emotionally there is a cathartic effect.  Dr. Kalayjian continues conducting workshops on healing the generational impact in Northern America.   Concomitantly, the presentation will address therapeutic modalities used to process those feelings, and transform it into healing.

Dr. Ani Kalayjian and Crystal Barry Click here or on the above image to view more photos The Association for Trauma Outreach and Prevention’s (ATOP) first Mental Health Outreach Project (MHOP) team, invited by the Lebanese Psychological Association (LPA) as well as the American University of Beirut (AUB), arrived safely in Lebanon on May 15th.  On the ground, the team met to review their tight schedule which included a series of lectures and presentations, a radio interview on the Voice of Van show, interviews with newspapers, a two-day post disaster humanitarian outreach training program, and a visit to Nabatieh and Tyre in the south of Lebanon to assess the traumatic imprint of the recent Israel-Hezbollah conflict on the children and other survivors in the area. Day 1: The first MHOP team toured Beirut to observe both the social and infrastructural impact of the Lebanon-Israeli conflict.  The team was pleasantly surprised to observe a vibrant and lively community packed into the restaurants, pubs, beach clubs, night clubs, shops, and cafes of the area.  Even in the drizzling rain and fog, it took over an hour to find a restaurant that could accommodate the team because most were already at capacity.  The men and women of Beirut, it seemed, wanted to enjoy the moment in the company of friends and family.  Most remembered all too well being deprived of their everyday social and personal livelihood in the recent past, and, in conjunction with the everyday threat of a future war, were left only with the present in which to enjoy themselves and practice a measure of control over their lives. In the wake of the conflict last year, one often heard such expressions as “live each day as if it were your last.” Day 2: Dr. Ani Kalayjian and Crystal Barry received a warm welcome from faculty and students at Haigazian University.  At AUB, the team delivered a lecture entitled “Disaster and Mass Trauma: Coping, Resilience, and Meaning-Making,” which discussed the socio-psychological consequences of traumatic experience.  At Haigazian University, Dr. Kalayjian lectured on “The Generational Transmission of Genocide, War, and Mass Trauma.”  Both lectures were enthusiastically received by the audience for whom the topics struck a particularly personal note – the recent history of Lebanon is infected by the socio-psychological strain of violent conflict. Beginning with the 1975 civil war that lasted for over 25 years, the Israeli occupation from 1982 to 2000, the massacres of  Qana of 1995,  the assassination of former Prime Minister Hariri in February 2005, the war between Hezbollah and Israel in the summer of 2006, and the most recent conflicts between  Lebanese political parties, the Lebanese people know too intimately the destabilized and chaotic nature of life during war. Remnants of the most recent war and the current political conflict, such as cluster bombs which remain scattered throughout the city and country alike.  War and violent conflict has become the norm rather than exception to Lebanese life. It seemed to undercut any hope for peace and progress, leaving the trauma of a traumatic history and uncertain future unresolved.  Most of the listeners at the lecture expressed a desire to get as much accomplished as possible before the inevitable war begins again. Days 3 and 4: The MHOP team was busy giving an intense two-day training program in which Dr. Kalayjian’s Biopsychosocial and Spiritual Model was discussed and implemented with participants from the audience.  The participants were in the difficult position of attempting to resolve and work through their current trauma when past traumas remained unresolved and future traumatic events were expected.  When asked to speak about their present condition and experiences, the majority expressed feelings of helplessness and deep frustration concerning the perceived lack of Lebanese self-determination in the face of multiple and conflicting foreign political agendas.  Some participants expressed anger and resentment at regional political schemes in which they saw Lebanon being used as a pawn in Middle Eastern power politics.  In spite of these feelings of hopelessness, the participants seemed to sense that catharsis would come with communication, and exhibited courage and a genuine interest in peace throughout the session.  Preliminary findings from the assessment showed mild to moderate levels of post trauma symptomatology. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Depression, and Generalized Anxiety Disorders were discussed and reviewed throughout the training with a focus on types of traumatic experience.  Whether the experience of western countries was comparable to the Lebanese situation was part of an open debate.  Although the experience of trauma is universal (typically expressing itself through symptoms such as shock, disbelief, fear, etc.) there was a recognizable difference between people who, for example, experienced trauma after 9/11, versus people who live in a place such as Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran, or Palestine, in which traumatic conflicts are ongoing, extending into the historical past and (for most participants interviewed) foreseeable future.  It was eventually agreed upon and understood by the MHOP team and the participants that without peace and a follow-up dialogue for reconciliation people in Lebanon will not be easily assessed nor fully recovered. Days 5-7: The MHOP team traveled to Aleppo and Damascus in Syria to deliver lectures, meet community leaders, and give interviews.   The streets and markets were full of celebrations as the Syrians anticipated the re-election of their president Bashar al-Assad on May 25th. Day 8: As the borders had recently been closed due to new conflicts that had irrupted in Lebanon, the MHOP team had trouble returning to Beirut.  Once there, the team noticed that the streets, shops and restaurants were deserted as people feared that the violent attacks cropping up all around Lebanon would move into the city, which is actually what happened.  It was extremely difficult to travel around the city due to blockades, police barricades, military tanks, and check points at almost every corner.  The only audible noises were the bombs and sirens that echoed throughout the city, a complete transformation from the lively urban atmosphere the team encountered on their arrival.  Again the team

This important and exciting joint Armenian-Turkish project, entitled “Imagining the Future: Armenian and Turkish Artists in Dialogue” will be coming soon to New York This project will be a show of leading, world-class Armenian and Turkish artists.  Our goal in doing so is to represent the common cultural and artistic concerns of Armenia and Turkey to the general public and to help bring these two nations and civil societes to engage in a growing dialogue. Please email us to receive updates on this event