Psychosocial intervention for Marawi victims by Tesda

THE Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) has said that victims of war-torn Marawi City are getting psychosocial intervention who are traumatized by the fighting.

Dubbed “Psychosocial Intervention for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Youth,” Tesda Director General, Secretary Guiling “Gene” Mamondiong said that the program was launched in the area last July 16.

Mamondiong said that the humanitarian service aims to provide relief for residents of Marawi City, particularly the youth whose ages range from 15 to 20 years old.

The psychosocial program includes cultural integration, Islamic teaching, peace advocacy and livelihood training which which will last three to six months based on the need of IDPs.

Tesda will also give skills training to residents of the province which, it said, would be crucial in easing their emotional and social trauma brought about by war.

“Our brothers and sisters are scared, their spirits broken. To rebuild Mindanao and re-establish the community’s faith in law and order, we need to start with treating emotional wounds. People’s damaged psychological conditions, whether they care to admit them or not, will need to be addressed before the actual rebuilding can begin,” Mamondiong said.

The Tesda Regional Office 10 and the Ranaw Foundation are joining forces to help the residents of Marawi City who are currently staying in evacuation centers.

“The general objective of the program is to strategically address the unemployment of the Marawi Siege who until now find difficulty in landing decent work. Considering the available skills training program of Tesda which is geared toward poverty reduction,” the program’s description stated.

The conflict in Marawi started on May 23, 2017 as terrorists claiming allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant took over the city.