WATCH: Where is home?

Some children displaced by conflict in Marawi no longer know the answer.

Type: Video

"Was our home burned? Was it bombed? We just don't know."

These words came from a young girl, not even out of elementary school.

She's too young to watch violent films, yet here she is living it – witnessing chaos and destruction before her very eyes.

The Marawi crisis has affected around 80,000 children. These kids lost their homes, schools, and loved ones.

Jamaliah is just one of the thousands of children whose childhoods are interrupted by conflict.

"I don't know if my school was bombed or burned down," Jamaliah said.

Where is home?

Children are not targets

The clash between a local armed group and government forces in Marawi is about to reach its third month.

About 360,000 people were forced to leave their homes, without any certainty on when they could return home.

Displaced students like Jamaliah are also uncertain whether their schools are still intact, as many of them have already been destroyed alongside hospitals and houses.

Children are losing sleep not only because of the sound of bombs, but also due to anxiety over forever losing their homes.

Recurring images related to conflict and frantic escape may also linger in the minds of some children. Hence the need for immediate and continuous psychosocial support.

We need to ensure that their physical, mental, and emotional health are well and protected.

Children may carry these painful memories with them as they grow up. We need to help them heal and recover.

Together, let's save Marawi's children.

Support our operations providing education, hygiene, and psychosocial services for children. Donate today, save lives.

More stories from our programs

Be a Hero from Home

Be a Hero from Home

WATCH: 'What I miss the most' as drawn by Marawi's children

WATCH: 'What I miss the most' as drawn by Marawi's children

Taal Volcano Eruption 2020

Taal Volcano Eruption 2020

WATCH: Former evacuee, now a humanitarian

WATCH: Former evacuee, now a humanitarian


About Save the Children Philippines

Save the Children Philippines has been working hard every day to give Filipino children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn, and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for and with children to positively transform their lives and the future we share.

DSWD Authority/Solicitation Permit No.: DSWD-SB-SP-00002-2023
Coverage: Regions I, II, III, IV-A, IV-MIMAROPA, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, XII, CARAGA, CAR, and NCR
Period: January 16, 2023 to January 17, 2024

Follow and Connect with Us

Join the conversation.

Donate today!

+63-929-754-3066, +63-966-216-2368 and (+632) 8852-7283 (8852-SAVE)
supportercare.ph@savethechildren.org