Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia’s Communication and Digital Affairs Ministry is offering psychosocial support to children affected by recent disasters in Sumatra, using storytelling sessions to help them process trauma and regain emotional stability.
Child activist Maia Janitra said in Padang, West Sumatra, on Saturday that storytelling is an effective way to lift children’s spirits after a crisis, especially at a time when many spend hours absorbed in screens.
“Storytelling encourages children to see the world through narrative. It helps deliver moral messages in ways they understand and makes them calmer and better able to manage their emotions,” she said, adding that excessive gadget use often causes children to withdraw.
Janitra led a storytelling session at a mobile psychosocial support post set up by the ministry at the Sapta Samudra Marine Academy refugee camp. About 120 children from flood-affected areas joined the activity.
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She said face-to-face interaction helps adults understand children’s thoughts while strengthening emotional bonds.
From her previous sessions with young flood survivors, she noted that some children view lost belongings as part of their identity or symbols of social status — a perspective shaped by their social environment and online shopping culture.
“By being present and interacting, we can help reshape their character, not by blaming them, but by guiding them toward healthier viewpoints,” she said.
Janitra stressed that parents must stay actively involved in their children’s emotional recovery. Relying on gadgets to keep them occupied can heighten emotional volatility and trigger more frequent tantrums, she warned.
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Storytelling, she said, stimulates imagination and cognitive skills.
She encouraged parents to be creative by using props or giving small rewards to motivate children. Some children remain fearful when it rains because it reminds them of flooding, and storytelling can help ease this anxiety.
The ministry’s mobile psychosocial aid aligns with Government Regulation No. 17/2025 on Electronic System Governance for Child Protection, which seeks to shield minors from risks linked to social media and online games.
The ministry is also working to restore internet and telecommunications services in areas hit by floods and landslides, and has set up information and media centers to support emergency communication and coordination.
This news was published on Antaranews.com with a title: Indonesia uses storytelling to aid children Sumatra floods
