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. 2025 Jul 15;25(1):705.
doi: 10.1186/s12888-025-07043-4.

The collective narrative of trauma and healing among internally displaced individuals in ethiopia: a community-based participatory action research inquiry

Waganesh A Zeleke  1 , Yemataw Wondie  2 , Mekdes Melesse Mekonen  2 , Tewodros Hailu  3 , Courtney Holmes  4 , Mengistu Dagnew Moges  5 , Goshu Nenoko  6
Affiliations

The collective narrative of trauma and healing among internally displaced individuals in ethiopia: a community-based participatory action research inquiry

Waganesh A Zeleke et al. BMC Psychiatry. .

Abstract

Background: Ethiopia is ranked among the top five countries with the highest number of internally displaced individuals. Several centers in Gondar City, Ethiopia, provide temporary accommodations for those forcibly displaced from their homes during the 2020-2023 period. Research shows that internally displaced people (IDPs) face stressors such as trauma, poverty, and the collapse of social support networks, resulting in mental distress, impaired relationships, and diminished coping abilities.

Methods: This Community-Based Participatory Action Research (CBPAR) and interpretative phenomenological research study engaged 42 stakeholders (including IDPs, service providers, community leaders, and governmental/non-governmental representatives) residing in Gondar, Ethiopia, who were selected using purposive sampling to explore narratives of trauma and healing shaped by lived experiences. Data were collected through six focus group discussions and nine in-depth interviews, then analyzed using template analysis.

Results: Findings reveal visceral and culturally embedded experiences of trauma, described as 'wounds to the soul,' 'relational wounds,' and idioms of distress that convey the profound impact of displacement. Collective healing emerged through cultural and spiritual practices, connection to ancestral traditions, and music. Barriers such as low trauma awareness and limited mental health access were also highlighted.

Conclusion and implications: This study underscores the interconnectedness in collectivist cultures and offers insights to develop culturally responsive trauma-informed programs. It calls for further research on healing processes that integrate individual and collective resilience.

Keywords: Collective healing; Collective trauma; Culturally responsive approach; Ethiopia; Internally displaced people; Mental health in Africa; Participatory action research; Trauma-informed approach.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Human ethical approval: Ethics approval for this study was obtained from the Human Research Ethics Committee of University of Gondar and the Ethical Committee of the College of Social Sciences and Humanities with Reference no. C/S/S/HRP 10078/09/2015 on 12 May 2023. This study was conducted in accordance with the National Research Ethics Review Guidelines (5th Ed.) of the Federal Democratic Republic of the Ethiopian Ministry of Science and Technology. Informed consent: Information pertaining to participant confidentiality, informed consent, and data access was included in the Participant Information and Consent Form. To ensure confidentiality, personal identifiers, such as names, were not recorded in the data collection tool; subsequently, the collected data were securely stored after the completion of data entry. No incentives were provided to participate in this study. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

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Fig. 1
Data collection process
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Fig. 2
Thematic connection of individual and collective trauma, barriers to awareness, and collective healing
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