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The children of Lazare camp in the war-ravaged Central African Republic draw scenes of daily life.
They draw armed men. Armored vehicles. And they use red. A lot of red.
In a makeshift tent with naked glbades on her nose and feet in the dust, psychologist Mamie Nouria Meniko examines the creations – an indicator of children's mental health and an indispensable outlet.
"Their problem is that they are exposed daily to violence," she says.
The 43-year-old Congolese runs a Red Cross program at the IDP camp to identify and help children suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
"Drawing helps children express what they feel, showing what children can not say out loud," says Nouria Meniko.
"Sometimes, some of them start crying as soon as they start drawing."
Years of violence
The Kaga Bandoro town which houses the camp is a case study on the instability and violence that is rampant in CAR.
Some 330 kilometers north of the capital Bangui, the city lies at a strategic crossroads of roads used by nomadic livestock farmers.
For five years relentlessly, Kaga Bandoro has been in the hands of armed groups – militias that control four-fifths of the country in crisis.
Typically claiming to defend specific ethnic groups or religions, militias fight for resources and extortion and violence.
Out of a national population of 4.5 million, thousands have lost their lives, nearly 650,000 have fled their homes and another 575,000 have left the country, according to UN figures released in September. December of last year.
Many children have been beaten, raped or murdered. Some have seen their homes invaded, their parents humiliated, injured, kidnapped or killed.
In Kaga Bandoro, relative calm came back last month with the arrival of the armed forces after the government and 14 warlords signed a pact of peace in February – the eighth of a series of treaties .
For the moment at least, the militia are confined to their base, although sporadic violence continues on the outskirts of the city.
Troubled children
The Red Cross program has enabled Nouria Meniko to identify 233 children aged 5 to 15 with PTSD symptoms.
Sitting on a mat, she asks a group of six children: "Who had a bad dream last night?" Three hands are raised.
By holding her little sister on her lap, 10-year-old Florine confides her nightmare.
"My mom and dad picked me up but I told them I could not come," she says. His parents were murdered in 2013 by the Séléka, an armed group mostly Muslim.
To help children manage their trauma, the psychologist teaches them breathing and relaxation techniques.
"When I feel bad, I do these exercises and I think of a good meal," says Florine, whose name has been changed to protect her identity.
Dead father
On his right, Hervé, 12, attends his third therapy session.
Hervé's drawings always show the same things: vans with machine guns mounted at the back. A body in a river. A helping hand in a well. A house on fire, with his father inside.
"I have to draw to get the pictures of my head and be able to sleep," he says.
Hervé's mother, widowed by Seleka in 2013, says the sessions helped the girl and her relationship with him.
"Before he cried all night, this week he only woke up five times."
The therapy also helps parents understand why a child may need attention or behave aggressively.
"Before, when he did not obey me and did something stupid, I hit him," admits Hervé's mother.
"I did not understand, but now I know why he did that, and we're talking to each other."
& # 39; Vicious circle & # 39;
Professor Jean-Chrysostome Gody, Chief Medical Officer of the Bangui Pediatric Hospital, said that conflict-related mental problems have become widespread in a country that has been a victim of violence since 2003.
But the problem is also taboo.
"It's a real public health problem," says Gody. "Untreated trauma can cause depression and even lead to violence – it feeds the vicious cycle."
Nouria Meniko, children like Florine and Hervé who have witnessed extreme violence carry a burden all their lives.
"We can not eliminate anything," said the psychologist with a sigh. "What we are trying to do is help them live with the trauma."
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