Farhana Hassan, 29 years old, is a mother of five children. She and her family are from Barrio Naga, Marawi City, one of the most affected areas during the siege in Marawi in 2017. Caught in surprise and fear, they left all their belongings behind to flee and escape the outbreak of violence. Albeit fortunate enough to have found safety in a municipal gym turned evacuation center in Poblacion, Saguiran, Lanao Del Sur, like thousands of other evacuees, Farhana and her family have had to endure the difficulties of being displaced from the safety and comfort of their homes. “Being forced to escape your home town is difficult. We have no idea how to even start to work for the survival of our family,” Farhana shared.
While staying in the evacuation center, they sought for help because the poor conditions of the site allowed them no privacy and very minimal protection from the weather and other health hazards. Farhana’s children started to get sick with common illnesses and skin problems.
When CFSI reached their site in Poblacion, Farhana shared how grateful she and her family was. Through the Mindanao Protection Project (MPP), a project implemented by CFSI through the funding support UNHCR, Farhana and several others received tarpaulins and carpets to enhance the conditions of their spaces in the evacuation center. She shared that this helped give them more privacy, specially for women when they use the comfort rooms. The carpets also allowed her children to sleep with more ease. Further, they were also provided with hygiene kits, which Farhana found very helpful in treating her children’s rashes and skin infection.
The MPP aims to address the immediate protection needs of people affected by armed conflict and facilitates the rapid integration and rehabilitation of IDPs and returnees in Central and Northern Mindanao, and island provinces through the implementation of QIPs and protection monitoring trainings.
“CFSI really knows our needs and they are really committed to help the people in Marawi City. I can’t thank this organization enough because until now that we have been transferred to Boganga Transitory shelter, they are still supporting us,” Farhana added.
