Her service for displaced women was Shyleen’s motivation to pursue humanitarian work.
Shyleen, 26, a Meranaw, has lived in Barangay Bubong Punod, Marawi City with her family since she was a child. In 2016, her parents unfortunately passed away, leaving with her the responsibility for her six younger siblings.
Since then, Shyleen had to find ways to make ends meet. “Mahirap talaga kasi sino-solo mo (It was really difficult because I had to do everything on my own),” she shared.
When the siege in Marawi erupted in 2017, Shyleen and her siblings fled from the city with no certainty of safety. “’Di namin alam saan pupunta [noong mangyari ang gyera]. Nag-evacuation center na lang kami”, Shyleen said. (We did not know where we go when the war happened. We can only go to an evacuation center.)
With no proper shelter nor a stable source of income for about six months, they could only rely on the relief goods and cash-assistance programs provided for survivors.
Shyleen and her family are among the beneficiary households of CFSI who had received assistance such as livelihood support in the form a sari-sari (retail) store and access to psycho-social support activities that aid their efforts to rebuild their lives.
What makes Shyleen stand out is that in the midst of being a survivor herself, she was just as driven to help others as she was for her family.
While they were temporary taking shelter in Saguiaran Evacuation Center, Shyleen started to engage in humanitarian work as volunteer facilitator for psycho-social activities for gender-based violence (GBV) survivors. She shared that during this time, she was able to meet almost two hundred women and girls with heartbreaking stories of different kinds of abuse. Shyleen also noted how some refuse to report or to seek help because of shame and fear of abandonment. “Sinasarili at iniiyak na lang nila and problema nila (They would just deal with their problems on their own and cry it out),” Shyleen said.
During the same period, she was preparing to take board exams for teachers from her humble earnings as a humanitarian worker. Not long after, Shyleen successfully earned her license as a professional teacher.
At this time, Shyleen had the opportunity to move in her career path. However, she chose to continue her pursuit in humanitarian work.
“Sinasabi sakin ng mga tao, mag-apply ka na para maging teacher. Sabi ko, okay lang ‘yan. May time pa naman d’yan (teaching). Pero ito (humanitarian work), opportunity ko rin ‘to para maka-experience ng mga ganito (humanitarian work).” (People tell me that I should start looking for a teaching job. I tell them that everything is going to be alright because there will be another time for teaching, but now is my opportunity to experience and get involved in humanitarian work.)
Being naturally shy, Shyleen felt empowered and more confident since she started working as a humanitarian. Her family was also pleased about how Shyleen can express herself better and make stronger connections with people. They saw the significant improvement in her interpersonal skills.
Shyleen shares that the assistance from CFSI has benefited her and her family. The income from the sari-sari store that her aunt runs helped in the day-to-day expenses in the household and expenses for her younger sibling’s schooling. At present, her siblings are now back to school and are living in Cagayan de Oro City with their relatives.
Two years since the war, Shyleen has been treading her way to rebuilding her and her family’s lives. She learned of her role as a household head and her value as a woman in her family. In her journey, she had not only transformed her life, but had helped change other people’s lives for the better.
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The celebration of World Humanitarian Day is a tribute to the worldwide humanitarian effort to support peoples in exceptionally difficult circumstances.
Today, 19 August, the #WorldHumanitarianDay2019 recognizes #WomenHumanitarians all over the world who dedicate their lives people in need and serve as first-line responders in times of crisis.