As part of ECOWEB’s initiative in commemoration of the 3rd year anniversary of the Marawi crisis and the 2020 Eid al-Fitr celebration, 150 families from Bakwit Village in Saguiaran, Lanao del Sur will receive food packs and hygiene kits purchased by the Marawi survivors through the accumulated cash of PhP 33,000 from ECOWEB’s Gawad KALASAG award received last year along with the organization’s workforce’s donations.
The Marawi IDPs were given cash assistance as they opt for greater inclusion of community’s decision process in purchasing goods of their current needs. As these survivors take the lead in choosing the most suitable support, especially in times of both existing displacement issues and this global pandemic, it highlighted on how local capacity has taken a greater value specifically in collectively planning the kind of intervention and targeting of beneficiaries.
Beneficiaries of this initiative have experienced multiple shelter displacement during the entire Marawi rehabilitation phase with considerations of their vulnerabilities such as current economic status or physical conditions, hence the selection of population to receive the aid. 75 initially identified survivors have experienced transferring from one temporary shelter to another – taking abode from Kadingilan camp in Pacalundo, Baloi and Sharieff Alawi shelter in Sarip Alawi, Baloi.
Based on immediate needs, inside the food packs and hygiene kits are as follows – one kilo of rice, four pieces of noodles, a half kilo of sugar, one bottle of cooking oil, six coffee sachets, one 200 ml sachet of soy sauce, four twin pack sachet of toothpaste, one piece of bath soap and two pieces of laundry detergents.
An amount of PhP 220 were allocated for each package as the community, through initial assessment conducted by ECOWEB Lanao del Sur skeleton force, expressed fairness amongst all beneficiaries to receive the assistance. This package was selected and purchased by the leaders, also endorsed to their members, of existing community solidarity and self-help groups of ECOWEB under various implemented projects for Marawi response.
The beneficiaries with the guidance from their village president, also act as the managers, mobilizers and facilitators for the package distribution. Processes such as purchasing of commodities, packaging and sorting out of goods until the documentation and distribution are all done by them. This entails a dynamic aspect of leadership and continuing the advocacy of the survivor and community-led response (sclr) approach’s effectiveness especially in both recovery and emergency situations.
“It is really a good practice that our self-help groups meet and come up with the decision of managing the little resources received. As an advocate of sclr, I have seen how the efforts were made by the community to present a plan and being able to have actions afterwards.” said Salahudin Samporna, area coordinator for Lanao del Sur, who also helped in facilitating and coordinated local officials for the success of this initiative.
Samporna also underscored that he was the only ECOWEB staff present during community visits and coordination due to the corona virus situation and restrictions of travelling. However, he did not feel that he was alone because of the community’s cooperation and how they respond to situations such as not having a good shelter and living condition while under community quarantine. “With this, we have saved time and manpower while empowering the community.” he added.
“This support will be a great help to us especially during our stay in our own shelters. All of the IDPs that will be given the food and hygiene assistance will have something to eat and use this month. The result of our gathering was good because everyone really agreed on what they wanted to receive. For now, we are really grateful to ECOWEB. In our situation, we are going to ask again for any assistance especially financial support or any support from other agencies. Hopefully, they will trust on our ability to recover especially now that the situation has been so difficult for us.” said Inolawan B. Komunug, 59, a former private school principal from Bubong Madaya, Marawi City.
The distribution and release of the packages will be on May 24 with the municipality of Saguiaran’s Social Welfare Officer (in representation of the local government) and Chairperson of Barangay Pindolonan. This is also an opportunity for the preparation of one of the celebrated Islamic holidays especially in completing the holy month of Ramadhan.
ECOWEB has implemented several projects for the Marawi response since 2017 until this date, supporting internally displaced persons and vulnerable communities in improving their living conditions and carrying out sustainable solutions and interventions through providing cash assistance, livelihood grants, psycho-social and educational support and a lot more.
