Sahil, a six-year-old child, currently residing in an IDP/returnee settlement of Kabul, tended to keep to himself and avoided participating in the activities going on around him, confining himself in the quiet of the classroom corner. He was urged to join his peers, but he would keep his head down and say nothing.

In spring 2025, Sahil returned to Afghanistan from Pakistan.  One of his biggest challenges has been adjusting to the new surroundings. After being uprooted from his birthplace, Pakistan, he found it difficult to adjust to Afghan culture and to interact with Afghan people. He isolated himself from relatives and did not make friends, in his temporary place of residence.

Yet, he also stated “In Pakistan, we were in a very challenging situation. My brothers and I had little options for play and school because we were refugees”. Already in Pakistan, the psychological effects of being uprooted and subjected to cruel treatment as a refugee greatly influenced his interactions with other people. His return to Afghanistan seemed to reactivate his experience of marginalisation.

Eventually, at the JRS Community Development Centre, Sahil was able to embrace learning with delight since play and art activities produce a relaxed atmosphere. Accompaniment of children like Sahil through play-based learning creates a welcoming atmosphere to overcome trauma.

Techniques involving art and play are key in the JRS approach to holistic child development. But the growth of the children does not remain within the walls of the JRS Community Development Centre. It resounds in the appreciation of the Community Elders and parents of the children. “My memory of those lanes of the settlement remind me of pebbles thrown at me, but today I am being greeted by all the children I meet along the way” narrates a member of the IDP community in Kabul reiterating the gratitude about the transformation.

The Community Development Centre has become a beacon of hope for children like Sahil, seeking acceptance and non-judgmental behavior towards them. JRS creates a safe environment for children, where they can live their childhood. Through compassionate efforts, JRS reaches out to the forgotten children living on the fringes of the community, guiding them back to where they belong.