Trinka and Sam in Action
Click on the image to learn more about the dissemination of the stories in these places.
The first Trinka and Sam story was released in 2008. The stories are freely disseminated through Piplo Productions and the National Child Traumatic Stress Network. In addition, numerous organizations provide downloadable versions of the story: 1) Substance Abuse and Mental Heath Service Administration; 2) US Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families; 3) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 4) US Department of Education; 5) Indian Country Child Trauma Center. While this supports dissemination, it presents challenges for gathering accurate data on the utilization of the stories. On each story page, we include links to organizations that have supported the use of the specific story version to provide some data related to the story's acceptability and utilization.
Below are data from Piplo Productions and NCTSN (after 2018 when the NCTSN's website was redone) along with NCTSN downloads from 2012-2016. These data are underestimates given that the stories are available on numerous other websites and have been distributed via email and print by groups around the world.
Story version
Trinka and Sam: The Rainy Windy Day
Trinka and Sam: The Day the Earth Shook
Trinka and Sam: Swirling Twirling Wind
Trinka y Juan en un Día de Mucho Viento y Lluvia
Trinka y Juan el Día que la Tierra se Movio
Trinka and Sam Japanese earthquake version
Trinka and Sam Nepalese earthquake version
Downloads
1734
6110
679
1816
804
968
1229
Story version (english & Spanish only)
Fighting the Big Virus: Trinka, Sam, and Littletown Work Together
Trinka and Sam: The Rainy Windy Day
Trinka and Sam: The Day the Earth Shook
Trinka and Sam: Swirling Twirling Wind
Trinka and Sam: The Big Fire
Luchando Contra el Gran Virus: Trinka, Juan y Pueblito Trabajan Juntos
Trinka y Juan en un Día de Mucho Viento y Lluvia
Trinka y Juan el Día que la Tierra se Movio
Trinka y Juan el Viento que Giraba y Giraba
Trinka y Juan el Gran Fuego
Downloads
6727
1398
1840
973
1622
828
308
28
140
291
Story version (english & Spanish only)
Fighting the Big Virus: Trinka, Sam, and Littletown Work Together
Trinka and Sam: The Rainy Windy Day
Trinka and Sam: The Day the Earth Shook
Trinka and Sam: Swirling Twirling Wind
Trinka and Sam: The Big Fire
Luchando Contra el Gran Virus: Trinka, Juan y Pueblito Trabajan Juntos
Trinka y Juan el Gran Fuego
Trinka e Joao (Portuguese version of the Virus Story)
Trinka and Sam (Chinese for the Taiwanese Population Virus Story)
Trinka and Sam (Finnish version of the Virus Story)
Trinka and Sam (Simplified Chinese version of the Virus Story)
Trinka and Sam (Cantonese version of the Virus Story)
Downloads
114,816
3,379
2,441
2,132
21,185
16,670
3,670
9,230
5,098
3,394
1,379
609
Australia
Fire Version 2020
The story was included in over 1000 play therapy bags.
After the bushfires, a number of organizations including the Australian Association of Infant Mental Health and Be Centre distributed Trinka and Sam: The Big Fire. The Be Centre put together over 1000 play therapy bags and distributed them. Below is a description of their efforts from their interim report.
"One of the most effective tolls which made the play bag such a unique and highly effective tool was the inclusion of Therapeutic Story/activity book “Trinka and Sam: The Big Fire”. It was written by Dr Chandra Michiko Ghosh Ippen a clinical psychologist at the National Centre for child traumatic stress in the US. The story was developed to help young children and their families begin to talk about feelings and worries they may have after they have experienced fire. Be Centre contacted her and she was delighted that we wanted to use her story and gave permission for us to include it in the play bags.
Be Centre volunteers and staff helped pack the play bags for distribution – 350 were despatched to the South Coast of NSW and were distributed by agencies across the Eurobodalla Shire Council Area and 150 were shipped to Kangaroo Island in South Australia.
With funding secured from the St George Foundation we were able to put together a second round of 500 play bags to take with us to distribute at the Festival of Play Programs planned for October 2020 and January 2021. Some play bags were also allocated to send to schools in the Snowy region which we are also supporting."
Albania
Earthquake Version 2019
After the 2019 earthquake in Albania, Piplo Productions partnered with Fondacioni Together Albania and World Vision Albania to develop and distribute an Albanian Version of Trinka and Sam the Day the Earth Shook. They pilot tested the story with children prior to distributing it and reported "the story was really engaging for them. They had so much to say about the earthquake in the 'my earthquake story'." Given the utility of the story, they partnered again to develop a COVID version in 2020. In addition, the Albanian version of Trinka and Sam the Day the Earth Shook was included in the Government of Albania and United Nations Joint Work Plan.
COVID Version 2020
Piplo Productions, partnered with the National Child Traumatic Stress Network and Fondacioni Together Albania to develop a version of Fighting the Big Virus: Trinka, Sam, and Littletown Work Together in Albanian and to disseminate the version through trainings in Albania.
Ecuador
50,000 Copies of the Earthquake Version Distributed
Following the 2016 earthquakes in Ecuador, including a magnitude 7.8 quake that resulted in over 650 deaths and 16,600 injuries, Carmen Rosa Noroña (a member of the Trinka and Sam team who is originally from Ecuador), Carolina Velasco-Hodgson (a member of the Trinka and Sam team from Chile), and Chandra Ghosh Ippen collaborated with Mónica Varea, an Ecuadorean author and Alegría Crespo from Libería Rayuela (a publishing company) to support their campaign titled "Un Cuento por Tu Sonrisa" (a story to make you smile). Numerous volunteers and non-profits partnered with Mónica Varea and Libería Rayuela to print and deliver over 50,000 copies of the books to children and parents in the earthquake affected areas.
The book is a gateway for children and parents to discuss the effects of an earthquake and the tough emotions that follow. It attempts to answer the biggest why questions: why the earthquake happened, why their friends moved away, why there continue to be aftershocks, and why nightmares are happening.
UNICEF has estimated that 250,000 children were affected by the earthquake in Ecuador. This means there are 250,000 kids with a lot of why questions-- 250,000 kids who need to read Trinka y Juan.
devin olmack
Partnering organizations included:
ecuador tierra viva
y su proyecto the book bus
A través de esta hermosa herramienta, y junto con Fundación Clara Luna y otras organizaciones, estaremos en la labor de llevar alegría y contención emocional a cientos de niños afectados por el terremoto en la costa ecuatoriana. Aprovechamos para felicitar la hermosa labor que están desempeñando en coordinación con diferentes actores sociales nacionales e internacionales.
Ecuadorian author Mónica Varea and team members worked in partnership with the Tierra Viva Book Bus project to bring books to children in earthquake affected areas.
Trainers met with parents to introduce the story.
Parent workshop given by Paolo Martinez from the Clara Luna Foundation
They held many parent workshops.
Volunteers led groups with children.
Volunteer from the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (hias.org) helps children draw their stories
Children colored their books.
Volunteers at Vivir Sin Miedo (Live Without Fear), shared the books with children at Sathya Sai School.
Nepal
Over 75,000 Copies of the Earthquake Version Distributed
Following the 2015 earthquake in Nepal, we worked with Freema Davis and Dr. Kishore Shrethra of Global Family Villages Nepal to develop the Nepalese version of Trinka and Sam. Dr. Shrethra led the translation and adaptation efforts and worked collaboratively with the Nepalese Ministry of Education. Erich redrew many pictures to make them more appropriate for the Nepalese context, and Chandra reformatted the book and worked with US-based Nepalese speakers to ensure that this translation was similar to the English versions.
As of November, 2016, Global Family Villages Nepal reported that they had printed and distributed 5 editions (print runs) of the Nepalese version. They partnered with volunteers and over 30 national and international non-governmental organizations to distribute books to over 75,000 children in Nepal. They also began distributing the English version to children, parents, and teachers of the non-Nepali speaking community living in urban areas of Nepal.
Dissemination partners included:
The Nepalese version of the story
The story was included in healing kits
Volunteers distributed the book in remote areas.
Our book was handed out with medicines.
Whole communities received our book
Adults supported children in talking about the earthquake
Teachers read the story to their class.
Parents also received support.
Young students from Gorkha, Nepal receive their books.
A young boy reads the story with his grandmother.
Children colored their books.
Children showing their books
Philippines
Earthquake: October 15, 2013 in Bohol and Cebu Province
Hurricane: Super Typhoon Haiyan November 8, 2013 in Leyte and Samar
In 2013, two major disasters hit the Philippines resulting in the loss of lives and destruction in catastrophic proportions. On October 15, 2013, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake hit Bohol and Cebu. Barely a month after, on November 8, 2013, Super Typhoon Haiyan made the initial major landfalls in the provinces of Leyte and Samar, and in the northern part of Cebu province. In September 2014, as a way of providing assistance to Filipino children affected by these twin disasters, the USC-Office of Population Studies Foundation, Inc. (OPS) and Ms. Peachy Gonzalez-Fernando , a registered psychologist and certified Specialist in Clinical Psychology, requested permission from Dr. Chandra Ghosh Ippen of the University of California, San Francisco to translate her Trinka and Sam stories “The Day the Earth Shook” and “The Rainy Windy Day” to Cebuano (local language in Bohol, Cebu and some parts of Leyte) and Waray (spoken in Samar). We acknowledge the assistance of the Holy Name University and their students from the College of Education in translating and back-translating the stories in Cebuano. We likewise acknowledge the students and teachers in Busao Elementary School (Maribojoc, Bohol), Caluctogan Elementary School (Dagami, Leyte) and the Department of Education Division of Bogo City (Cebu) for allowing us to pretest the translated versions through storytelling sessions in their respective schools. Likewise, our thanks to all OPS staff and everyone else who assisted in various ways in making this translation project a success.
Dr. Judith Rafaelita B. Borja
USC-Office of Population Studies Foundation, Inc.
University of San Carlos
The first meeting of the translation and adaptation team.
Final copies of the three books.
The team visited schools in affected areas and pilot tested the books with children.
Sometimes they read the stories outside.
They also shared the stories using overhead projectors.
A simple sheet can be used with an overhead projector.
The team, the teachers, and the children: Community coming together to support healing.
Thanks to the wonderful translation and adaptation team.
Puerto Rico
Hurricane Maria 2017
In 2017, following Hurricane Maria, Piplo Productions partnered with Cindy Calderón, MD, FAAP and her team at the Departamento de Salud de Puerto Rico (the Puerto Rico Department of Health) to disseminate Trinka y Juan en Un Día de Mucho Viento y Lluvia. A note from Dr. Calderón outlining their efforts is below, and a report from United Way Puerto Rico details their partnership in distributing 22,248 copies of this version of the story. They found that 82% of children and 68% of adults liked the story very much. In terms of the effectiveness of the story in helping families deal with stress after a hurricane, 65% reported the story helped a lot and 32% reported the story helped somewhat. 65% were very satisfied with the book and 26% were satisfied. 100% would recommend the story to others.
In addition, at this time, Piplo Productions donated and shipped 50 copies of Una Vez Tuve Mucho Mucho Miedo to be included as part of healing kits by the Center for Embodied Pedagogy and Action ( CEPA).
Earthquakes 2019-2021
Following the series of earthquakes that began in 2019, Dr. Calderón and United Way Puerto Rico again partnered to distribute Trinka y Juan el Día que la Tierra se Movió through the Programa Sembrando Futuro.
COVID-19
In 2020, United Way Puerto Rico connected with Piplo Productions to partner around the COVID version of the Trinka and Sam stories. They developed a version for Puerto Rico with alterations to the language to make it more appropriate for Puerto Rico (e.g. substituting words for masks and sweets).
In the News
In 2021, the government gave $20 million dollars to United Way to support their COVID-related efforts. Trinka y Juan are named in the news report and also in the press release from the Government of Puerto Rico.
Trinka and Sam workshops
Children with their books
Volunteers and teachers read the books to children
Ten months after hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico continues its recovery process and we are adapting to our new realities. Your Book Trinka y Juan en un Día de Mucho Viento y Iluvia has been instrumental in helping many families with children overcome the stress lived in September 2017. We created a presentation on how to teach parents and caretakers to use the book, which we share with all community leaders, physicians, day care personnel, Head Start and Early Head Start personnel and NGOs to adopt and use.
In a collaboration between United Way of Puerto Rico, Academy of Pediatrics PR Chapter and the MCAH Division of the DOH we have impacted the following from December 2017- May 2018:
The presentation was developed giving time for the participants to familiarize with the content and purpose of the coloring book. A dialogue with the participants is established allowing them to reflect on their own experience and of their families and share them, and then guide them through the book so they may understand how to use the images when talking with children and how to provide support.
I had the opportunity to deliver many of the activities, and receive the direct positive feedback of satisfaction of participants and others who have implemented the book with families. The first couple of months we observed intense emotional moments that helped people ventilate their feelings and receive support from the group.
I have spread the use of the book to other National Organizations such as ASPR and HHS.
Once again thank you for your work and the benefits it has reaped for our population in need.
Dr. Cindy CalderÓN
Mother Child and Adolescent Health Division
Department of Health Puerto Rico
The United States of America
In the United States the dissemination of the story has been difficult to track since people tend to download the story and distribute it via print or email to communities in need. At the bottom of the specific page for each Trinka and Sam story, we have included links to organizations and systems that offer the story as a resource for their community. Below we share stories that have been shared with us regarding U.S. disseminations, in addition to the widespread dissemination in Puerto Rico, which we describe above.
Wildfire Version
The story was developed during the 2017 Northern California wildfires and have been used throughout California, including in Paradise, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Diego counties. The story has been recommended by numerous school districts as a tool to support families affected by the fires and has been used in by providers supporting families in shelters.
Every single human (and pets and pet parents) has appreciated this information. One of the most touching interactions were: Pair of 20 year old parents, their 5 smalls and a young gramma, a Dad and 2 kids, and 2 parents and 2 kids that spoke Spanish. The relief on their faces to have something to help them share truth with their kids was inspiring. Their gratitude was reflected in the tears welling up in their eyes.
The children got permission to do their whirling and twirling when they saw a "coloring book" of Trinka and Sam (I brought crayons to give out too) and their caregivers looked relieved to have them have something to do while much needed forms could be filled, and follow ups for housing, food, supplies, etc. could be found.
Thank you for pursuing your passion so that I may also continue mine. This is an awesome example of the village coming together to help members heal.
Audrey Cordova, ACSW
Distributing trinka and Sam: The big fire in a shelter to support those affected by the california fires
Hurricane Version
Hurricane Sandy, 2012
Trinka and Sam and the Rainy Windy Day was broadly disseminated throughout the East Coast following Hurricane Sandy. It was included in Hurricane Sandy Information by the U.S. Department of Education, was used by Adelphi University and they led parent-child groups, and was recommended by numerous schools and school counselors.
Hurricane Harvey, 2017
After Hurricane Harvey, Piplo Productions partnered with the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, UNICEF-USA and Rice University Baker Institute for Public Policy to disseminate Trinka and Sam and the Rainy Windy Day in Houston and to develop a Vietnamese version of the story. The story was broadly disseminated in Texas along with workshops on infant mental health and parent support.
Other Dissemination Efforts
We created this section in the hopes of tracking other dissemination efforts as we hear about them, so please if you are using our stories, please let us know.
Mexico City, 2017
Piplo Productions partnered with colleagues in Mexico City to distribute Trinka and Sam the Day the Earth Shook.