Helping Hands for Women & Youth Support, in Collaboration with Plateau State DRC, Trains PWDs on Clay Therapy

By Tgnews Reporter

In a step toward inclusive empowerment and innovative therapy, Helping Hands for Women and Youth Support partnered with the Plateau State Disability Rights Commission (PSDRC) to host a transformative two-day training workshop on the Clay for Play Manual.

The programme, led by renowned clay therapy expert Dr. Esther Dokyoung, equips persons with disabilities (PWDs), educators, caregivers, and community facilitators with practical skills to harness abundant local clay as a tool for healing, learning, creativity, and economic self-reliance.

The training, held in Jos, drew distinguished participants including the Chairman of the Plateau State Disability Rights Commission, members of Helping Hands for Women and Youth Support, representatives from special schools, media professionals, and community supporters.

Dr. Esther Dokyoung, Facilitator and Trainer for the Clay for Play Programme and a pioneering researcher in ceramics-based interventions delivered an inspiring welcome address that set the tone for the event.

Highlighting Nigeria’s vast untapped clay deposits, Dr. Dokyoung stated: “Today, we are gathered to explore a unique and impactful approach to therapy, learning, and empowerment an approach rooted in the use of clay, one of the most abundant yet least harnessed natural resources in Nigeria.”

She emphasized the programme’s goal: transforming this everyday material into avenues for emotional release, sensory development, skill acquisition, and income generation.

The Clay for Play Manual, developed by Dr. Dokyoung, stands as a culturally relevant intervention tool tailored for inclusive education and therapy, particularly for persons with disabilities.

Its core components promote multisensory engagement combining touch, sight, movement, and creativity to enhance memory, coordination, emotional regulation, and self-expression.

Key innovations include:

• The Clay Mathematical Game, an original creation from Dr. Dokyoung’s Master’s research at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. This tactile modelling activity simplifies foundational numeracy, boosts concentration, and builds confidence for learners facing cognitive or learning challenges through playful, hands-on strategies.
• Beads production using recycled materials, where participants craft clay beads incorporating discarded items like paper, plastics, and clay scraps—advancing circular economy principles, reducing waste, and fostering environmental awareness while creating marketable jewellery and crafts for small-scale entrepreneurship.

The intensive two-day agenda immerses participants in: Clay as therapy for emotional release, sensory regulation, calming effects, and better social interaction; Practical skills in sourcing, identifying, and safely processing local clay and minerals; Hands-on activities including bead making, clay modelling, craft design, and the Clay Mathematical Game;  Life skills such as packaging, presentation, finishing techniques, and basic entrepreneurship, and Creative recycling to turn waste into valuable items.

Participants will also explore integrating these clay-based methods into classrooms, therapy sessions, rehabilitation centres, homes, and community empowerment initiatives across Plateau State and beyond.

Dr. Dokyoung, whose pioneering work dates back to the 1990s including the development of an indigenous ceramics bead model for children with learning disabilities described the training as far more than a workshop: “It is an opportunity to build confidence, strengthen abilities, and unlock new possibilities for inclusion and economic participation.”

She expressed strong confidence that attendees would emerge fully equipped to replicate these empowering techniques in diverse settings.

The collaboration underscores a shared commitment to disability rights, inclusive growth, and leveraging local resources for sustainable development.

The Plateau State Disability Rights Commission and Helping Hands for Women and Youth Support—organizations dedicated to advocacy, support, and empowerment—continue to champion initiatives that uplift vulnerable groups.

As the sessions unfold, this innovative programme promises to inspire a ripple effect of inclusion, creativity, and self-sufficiency, proving that simple, indigenous materials like clay can drive profound change for persons with disabilities in Nigeria.