Marawi after the siege

Under the afternoon sun, farmer Ansari Usok Akhmal, 22, rides his carabao. Together, they graze crops like corn and squash during harvest season. The carabaos given by UNHCR provide labor for the farmers and supply for the marketplace. But apart from the economic benefits, the carabaos also foster peace and cooperation among the farmers because they are used on a rotational basis. © UNHCR/Lyka Gonzalez

Mosamma Hajisalic is one of the people who fled home when the siege in Marawi happened in 2017. He left everything behind in order to survive, yet he remains hopeful. He says, "Basta may buhay, may pag-asa," (“As long as there is life, there is hope.”) He was a teacher in Marawi, and is now deemed as "Principal" by the host community in Brgy. Bangco. © UNHCR/Lyka Gonzalez

Monauray Dimal is a mother and dressmaker from Marawi City. Upon its repair, her children are able to attend madrasah (Arabic school) on Fridays and Saturdays which help them start anew. When the siege happened in 2017, Monauray hid her 11 children in the basement and quickly fled to Dulay East. She lost her livelihood in the siege. Slowly, she and her family are rebuilding their lives. The repair of the madrasah is a project that aims to help displaced children continue their education and restore hope for better futures. © UNHCR/Lyka Gonzalez

Water brings life to Hasmin and her daughter Caramina. The community in Brgy. Bacawayan, Marantao hosts internally displaced families from Marawi City since the siege in May 2017. They now have a sustainable source of water for sustenance and basic hygeine. © UNHCR/Lyka Gonzalez

Water is essential to life, especially for growing kids like Caramina. At that young age, a child should be playing and not worrying about her basic needs. Through UNHCR's water system improvement initiative, Caramina has enough water for sustainance. © UNHCR/Lyka Gonzalez

Aminah, a child from Barangay Lumbac Kiadlan, holds a flower in her hand during a community assessment of the newly installed water system. Brgy. Lumbac Kiadlan became one of UNHCR's beneficiary communities in 2018. Through projects like the improvement of the water system, families are able to develop self reliance and rebuild their lives. The hope can be seen in the eyes of children like Aminah. © UNHCR/Lyka Gonzalez

Emma Nakaraya and son Walilboi (left) from Lumbac Kiadlan share a warm smile during a community assessment on the newly installed water system. The families of these communities are full of hope, and they can carry on with their day-to-day without having to worry about basic needs such as water. © UNHCR/Lyka Gonzalez

Jamal Dimacaling, 13, an IDP, fills a jerry can with water from the newly constructed reservoir in Ilian Proper. Through UNHCR's Quick Impact Projects like the provision of water systems and reservoirs, peaceful coexistence is promoted between host communities and IDPs because they don't need to squabble for basic needs. . © UNHCR/Lyka Gonzalez

Water bridges peace between host communities and internally displaced families. A hand-painted map of Ilian Proper, Piagapo shows the households benefitting from the rivers that run through it. UNHCR constructed a water reservoir and communal toilets, and these provide not just sustainance for the families, but also basic hygeine.. © UNHCR/Lyka Gonzalez