Meet Jamila-Aisha from the Philippines. Jamila works with her local communities supporting them through trauma informed mental health approaches to peacebuilding.
Jamila-Aisha is a peacebuilder from Mindanao. A conflict affected region in the south of the Philippines.
Jamila has experienced the horror of war first-hand. Forced to flee her home during the All-out war in 2000 and take refuge in an evacuation centre amidst government forces and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front clashes. She and her family narrowly escaped the bombardment and resettled a year after.
This experience ignited Jamila’s passion for peace and provided her with the unique opportunity to work with fellow survivors, channelling the trauma of war into positive transformation.
Following the 2017 Marawi siege, Jamila founded Women Empowered to Act for Dialogue and Peace (WE Act), an organisation committed to aiding and rebuilding the lives of internally displaced persons.
WE Act focusses on more than just immediate relief, aiming to restore the lives of people, with a focus on women. Seeking to provide them with economic opportunities and trainings. In the context of the Philippines, women have emerged as pivotal figures in mediating peace and security dialogues between government officials and rebel factions. WE Act aims to ensure gender-inclusive peacebuilding at the grassroots level.
