Arts Therapy Practice in Sudan: Reflections on a Short-Term Humanitarian Programme (Pratique de l’art-thérapie au Soudan : Réflexions sur un programme humanitaire à court terme)

Abstract

A creative arts therapies program was implemented in 2018 at a special-needs school in Khartoum, Sudan as part of a humanitarian program initiated by an international nongovernmental organization that promotes art therapy, and their local Sudanese partners. Using a collaborative autoethnographic approach, this paper presents the personal experiences of the three arts therapists involved, emphasizing the complex intercultural context that involved diverse cultural, ethnic, and linguistic identities. This article shares an approach to intercultural work that can be used and built-upon by other professionals working in humanitarian contexts. The unique model of a three-step program that was implemented emphasized the transitory presence of the therapists as sojourners. The reflections and process of writing this article, illuminates the authors’/therapists’ own experiences as sojourner arts therapists, and how it influenced their approach in working temporarily in Sudan. This article concludes with the recommendation to incorporate tools of critical reflections in order to support the professional team working in humanitarian contexts, and encourage continuous dialogue with the community where the intervention takes place.