SEPTEMBER 2024. In the remote village of Tugaig, Barira, Maguindanao del Norte, Bangsamoro Region lives a young man who embodies determination despite life’s tests.
Jamil Magandatao, 19, pursues education with his widowed mother. He is a Grade 12 Senior High School graduating in year 2025.
“I pursue my education because I want to learn more. For me, education is very important” he said with a simple smile.
Jamil is supported by his mother working as harvester of corn. He also gets aid from his older sister who has her own family.
During the distribution of food packs through the PROACTIVE, Jamil and his mother were among the beneficiaries who received food items and education kits.
“I see this activity as systematic, fostering unity in the community. The project beneficiaries received assistance and people were able to voice out their needs to the different offices present today” he expresses passionately.
PROACTIVE: Programme on Assistance for Camp Transformation through Inclusion, Violence Prevention and Economic Empowerment is an initiative that supports the transformation and development of communities in the MILF camps as informed by the Normalization Annex of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).
His mother told that Jamil was 16 years old when they observed his condition, which accordingly is a polio.
But this is not stopping him to seek growth and be educated.
His determination and strength manifest a living proof of hope for his community. Just like Brgy. Tugaig, which was once a battlefield in the past, the adversaries of life becomes the source of inspiration for him to look forward to life with possibilities.
Jamil is a regular beneficiary of BARMM- MSSD’s program that provides assistance to vulnerable groups.
Through this kind of program, Jamil sees hope for inclusion and improved public services for the disadvantaged groups and individuals like him.
PROACTIVE as a program has ended in October 2024. It is funded by the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) with the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA Inc.) as local implementing partner.
