eMthunzini is a non-governmental, non-profit organisation that seeks to assist in the healing of abused and hurting animals and people.

Animal-Assisted Therapy has been shown to be the most effective way of healing abused and hurting children as well as many adults. 

Children who haven't spoken for years due to trauma have uttered their first words to horses and dolphins.  Those who have been so abused that they are scared to be touched by a human have shown their first sign of emotions and love to animals.   This therapy has been proven to work for both adults and children in South Africa as well as in America.  Somehow caring for an animal helps an abused or hurting individual to put their own needs aside to love and care for the animal.  They find that they are able to express their own hurt to an animal in a way they might find impossible to another human.  Once their feelings have been expressed, people generally become easier to work with.  

This technique is being used successfully in jails and reformatories and is currently being incorporated into the therapeutic techniques that are being used in the rehabilitation of substance abuse.

Reformatories for girls in Switzerland have had a 60 % increase in the success of rehabilitating the girls back into society by combining animal therapy (using horses) and counselling.

There is also a higher success rate of rehabilitating prisoners into society when they are given animals to care for.  In some jails maximum risk prisoners are given guide dogs to train for the Blind Institution.  If caring for an animal can be beneficial for hardened criminals, think what wonders it could do for an emotionally scarred child?   

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