12 December 2024- Situated in the remote area of the Bangsamoro region, Barangay Ragayan holds stories of resilience and hope for the Maranao people who have endured the scars of past conflicts.
Jamela Omar, 24 years old, the president of the Ragayan Salimbago Ko Masa Association, embodies this spirit. For her, the arrival of the Bangsamoro Camps Transformation Project (BCTP) in 2023 marked a turning point.
"There is hope," Jamela expressed, her voice filled with emotion during the turnover of the multipurpose business center last December 4, 2024. She reflects on her community’s previous efforts of approaching various organizations to probe on development projects which has all ended in vain. However, this recent turnover has further strengthen their hopes for progress.
The multipurpose center, solar dryer, and warehouse were the first ever projects given to their community and will stand as symbols of a brighter future.
"I believe that these projects will help our community prosper," Jamela shared, wiping away tears of gratitude.
The BCTP, launched in July 2023, is a beacon of hope for the communities in the camps, focusing on income stabilization, socio-economic services and basic infrastructure disaster risk reduction, and climate change adaptation.
Support to income stabilization
Ragayan Salimbago Ko Masa Association, Jamela’s group, underwent orientation on homebased gardening (HBG) last August 9, 2024 and have received tools and inputs as starting kit. They were among the 680 households in the camps that benefited in this intervention.
The group is set to undergo skills development training on bread and pastry in the coming days. The newly formed association believed that entering into business through selling breads will help them earn their own income so they can help their families in their daily necessities.
Support to socio-economic services and basic infrastructure
The turnover of the multipurpose center to this group marked the beginning of transformative journey for the people of Brgy. Ragayan.
This infrastructure project provides not only a place for the group to conduct business and store goods but also serve as a gathering space for the women and youth of Brgy. Ragayan where they can build strong friendships, foster camaraderie, and support one another through setting up cultural and social activities that involves the whole community.
“Beyond business, this center will be a hub for empowerment, where women can connect, collaborate, and grow together as a community”, shared Jamela and her group.
Capacity Building Activities
For BCTP, capacity development to its beneficiaries are significant in achieving the objectives of the project. Recent trainings included project operations and maintenance amongst others.
BCTP is implemented by the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA Inc.) in partnership with the Community and Family Services International (CFSI), implemented in the six major camps of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF): Abubakar as Siddique, Badre, Bilal, Busrah Somiorang, Omar ibin al-Khattab and Rajamuda. It is one of the projects funded by the Bangsamoro Normalization Trust Fund (BNTF) with funding support from Australia, Canada, the European Union and the United Kingdom, administered by the World Bank.
The BCTP was also supported by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) as well as the Joint Task Forces on Camps Transformation (JTFCT) both from the Philippine Government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
