In this episode of Across Archives, host Desmond Asakitikpi speaks with Weanne Estrada-Magbanua, Mental Health Specialist at ADRA International, about the psychological realities of displacement that statistics and intake forms often fail to capture.

Weanne discusses identity loss, prolonged uncertainty, the pressure to appear grateful, and why mental health must be treated as an essential part of humanitarian response—not something addressed only after immediate needs are met.

Key Topics

* Why mental health is essential during humanitarian emergencies

* How trauma affects memory, planning, and decision-making

* Identity loss after displacement and resettlement

* The emotional burden of waiting for legal status

* What standard intake forms fail to capture

* The pressure displaced people may feel to appear grateful

* Burnout and powerlessness among humanitarian workers

* Turning empathy and curiosity into meaningful action

Resources and LinksWise Women Unfiltered: The Unfiltered LetterInstagram: @shahartalksYouTube: Shahar Talks | Wise Women UnfilteredFacebook: @shahartalksTikTok: @shahartalksThe Refugee Archive:

https://therefugeearchive.org

About Across ArchivesAcross Archives is produced by The Refugee Archive. It highlights archives, oral histories, and storytelling projects that preserve the experiences of migrants, immigrants, internally displaced people, and refugees worldwide.

Together with our companion series, The Archive Speaks, we explore how archives can amplify refugee voices, build solidarity, and reshape how displacement is remembered.

🎧 Continue the journey on The Archive Speaks, featuring the real voices of displaced women and single mothers around the world.