Seven-month pregnant Aira thought that she would give birth to her 5th child and raise all her four children in the once peaceful Marawi City. But today, they are in Balo-I, Lanao del Norte as evacuees following the attack of Maute terrorist group during the Marawi clash.
In the photo, Aira sits at the Gym with her child during the trauma counseling and relief distribution. Aira evacuated at Maria Cristina, Balo-i, Lanao Del Norte due to Marawi clash.
Aira and her family lived in Marantao, Lanao Del Sur – a municipality near Marawi City where she earns income through doing laundry while her husband works as a farmer in Cotabato City.
She was the only one looking after her children during the aerial bomb attacks of the government against the terrorists. Fortunately, they managed to quickly evacuate before the terrorists reached their place.
“I tried to calm myself so that I could take care of my children,” Aira said in Filipino. Thinking that the war will end soon, the pregnant mother did not bring anything with her. All she did was pray to Allah that they will not have an encounter with the Maute group while on the road.
After 6 weeks, Aira and the other displaced residents are still asking when the war will end. Though grateful for the help they have been receiving from Operation Blessing and its partners, she still worries about the health of her children and of course including the one in her womb.
She cannot go to the doctor for her check-up due to the war. Their diet has been limited to canned goods and instant noodles, which they get as relief goods.
As the end of their days, as evacuees remain uncertain, their health also remains vulnerable to various diseases. As of June 26, the Department of Health (DOH) confirmed the death of almost 30 evacuees in this ongoing Marawi crisis, and the newest addition to it was a newborn infant.
Operation Blessing is helping the Marawi Clash evacuees in their health issues caused by this disaster. You can help us help them! Call 477-7802 to 04. You can also visit us at www.obphil.com or like and share OB’s Facebook page or follow OB on Twitter, @obphil.
