In 2009, Fairuz and Alinok suffered great grief when they lost their six-year-old son to an unidentified illness. Ten years later, in 2019, their family was again struck by tragedy when they lost in the Marawi Siege their radio merchandising business, the sole source of income that supported their family of ten children.
Fairuz, Alinok, and their ten children lived in West Caloocan, Marawi City, in the barangay adjacent to the area were the first bomb was dropped, marking the outbreak of the three-month conflict. They witnessed first-hand the exchanges between military men and terrorists in black. Fairuz shared that they were there, even as the bombs and bullets ricocheted in the City.
It was only two days later when they had the chance to flee and escape. “Tumakbo ng tumakbo kami na walang pera, walang wala talaga kami (We ran and ran from the siege without any money. We had nothing with us),” Fairuz said.
They sought to seek refuge but at that time, the evacuation centers were already congested. With no other place to go, Fairuz and her family were forced to rent a small house in Iligan City. Because of the displacement and the lack of a stable source of income, most of their children had to stop going to school. Some of them also continued to suffer psychological distress from the trauma.
Fairuz and Alinok have been doing their best to move forward and make ends meet but the situations haven’t always been favorable. Although they were allowed to return to their home in West Caloocan, Marawi City, the siege had left damages which made it challenging to rebuild their lives.
This is why Fairuz could not contain her joy and gratitude when her husband was among the beneficiaries who were awarded with livelihood support in the 5th Kawiyagan of the Task Force Bangon Marawi, 31 January 2019, at the Marawi City Hall. Through the Marawi Recovery Project (MRP) funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) of the Australian Government, Alinok was among the recipients of cattle for livelihood activities. In addition to the livelihood support, their family also received from CFSI psychosocial assistance and school kits.
The assistance from MRP has shed a ray of hope on Fairuz and Alinok’s family. A year after the siege, the trauma in her, then, five-year-old child, seemed to have only been a fleeting experience. He can now greet the military troops in the City energetically. Eight of her children also have returned to school: one in a Toril, a school to learn about Islam and the Arabic language; two are in junior high school, two are also in elementary level, and three are in preschool.
Fairuz expresses her gratitude and shares her hope that more people could also be assisted.
