Yoga for beginners! The Chom Chao Emotional Support Group Day Trip…

Joanna Das, our Monitoring and Evaluation Support Officer, writes about a recent trip that proved to be a novel experience for some of the family members we work with in the outer area of Phnom Penh.

‘Our Kaliyan Mith Chom Chao team runs an Emotional Support Group for parents whose children are addicted to drugs. Last month the team organized for the parents of the support group to have a day trip to Kirirom National park. The purpose of the day trip was to provide the parents with an educational and therapeutic day amongst the relaxing outdoor environment and nature of Cambodia.

The Yoga teacher

The parents and team participated in three main activities including a meditation session, a yoga session and a presentation by the Mith Samlanh Drug Project Specialist Mr. Pin Sokhom. The activities were designed to support relaxation techniques which aimed to help the parents deal with a multitude of life stresses, and information sharing regarding parenting techniques to encourage family re-integration.

The day was a success with lots of laughs, (and some tears) but mostly was about Friends-International staff and the parents sharing a fun-filled day. For some parents, Yoga and Meditation were completely new concepts and they thoroughly enjoyed trying the ancient art of Yoga, relaxation and meditation!’