In late October 2024, the newly formed Kairos Emergency Pedagogy Without Borders team conducted their first crisis intervention in Asheville, North Carolina, following the devastation of Hurricane Helene. Led by Emergency Pedagogy founder Bernd Ruf and Argentinian team leader Alicia D’urso, a 16-member team of trained specialists worked with children, parents, and educators across multiple sites in the Asheville area, including the Asheville Waldorf School, SOLA, and local Latino communities. The team provided trauma education and healing through Waldorf pedagogical methods, helping communities still reeling from widespread destruction and displacement. Through artistic activities, movement exercises, and specialized trauma support, they worked to strengthen the resilience of affected families while establishing their presence as part of the international Emergency Pedagogy without Borders network.

Read the full report on Kairos Institute’s crisis intervention work in Asheville →