O3192: Fostering Resiliency through Learning: Creating a “Floating Library” for Children Impacted by Humanitarian Disasters in the Bahamas.

Background: In 2023, there were 399 natural disasters reported, impacting 93.1 million people around the globe. The two most common causes were floods and storms. The children of Abaco Island in the Bahamas have faced two significant humanitarian crises consecutively: Hurricane Dorian and the COVID-19 pandemic. With the sudden loss of safe spaces to live, learn and play, children lose the foundational environment necessary to cultivate growth and potential. We created the Floating Library to help mitigate and reduce these consequences.

Project Description: The Floating Library transformed large watercrafts into “mobile libraries” that were rapidly deployed to provide a place for children for recovery and disaster preparedness by using age adapted activities.

Launched in February 2023 with 2nd and 3rd graders in Marsh Harbour, Abaco Island, the pilot included a 3 lesson curriculum and a visit to the library boat, where every child received a library card and the opportunity to “check out” a book. Lesson one, “Courage and Everyday Heroes,” featured local responders sharing their experiences and students reflecting on a time they felt afraid and the idea of courage while they designed superhero capes. Lesson two, “Hurricane Hunters,” allowed children to dress up as meteorologists and learn important hurricane terminology that they may hear on forecast reporting. Lesson three, “Hurricane Preparedness,” utilized games to teach children about disaster preparedness. Participants went home with a child-focused disaster kit for their family and questions to guide their families in building a hurricane plan.

Discussion: Providing organized school and activities immediately following a humanitarian disaster not only prevents learning loss but can also be a space to provide psychological first aid to mitigate post-traumatic stress disorder. However, this key element to disaster response is often overlooked. Rapid deployment of the Floating Library addressed this gap in the response to Hurricane Dorian. Preliminary qualitative data following the pilot indicates that children and teachers found the Floating Library valuable for addressing trauma and creating a safe space dedicated to children.

Unfortunately, as children have returned to school, teachers and leaders have noticed lower than normal literacy levels, less interest in learning and reading, and unresolved trauma from their experience with Hurricane Dorian. In the future, the Floating Library may be expanded to address these evolving issues facing child mental health and wellbeing in Abaco Island.

Conclusion: Nonclinical environments can be the initial setting for preparedness and recovery after a disaster and serve as a mechanism to decrease the stigma on mental health interventions. This project employs the concept of resiliency through learning. In providing trauma-informed education, we empower children to be active participants in disaster preparedness and recovery. They are also a conduit to educate their families on the importance of preparedness and adherence to local guidance.