Samsoden, also known as Ken, is a 19-year-old civic youth empowerment advocate and aspiring leader from Maguing, Lanao del Sur. He likes to practice public speaking, host events, and write spoken-word poetry in his free time.
He was raised in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur, but was born in Maguing. Ken saw how political and land disputes in his family’s hometown, where “rido,” or family feuds, are still frequent, intimidate, and mistrust the young people of Maguing. News outlets and government agencies have reported that a few ISIS-linked terrorist groups remain in this town in the first quarter of 2022.
Ken’s family and their business experienced a direct impact on the Marawi Siege. Their family business is located on Banggolo Street situated in the so-called Ground Zero in Marawi after the destruction happened in Marawi Siege. His family got stuck as they planned to prepare for welcoming Ramadhan. It was almost ten days after he was able to reunite with his family. He was in Maguing when the first bombing was made, until the end of the siege, but all he can remember was how the worry, anxiety, and frustration got mixed up in his emotional well-being. He experienced difficulty in breathing and kept himself frantic with activities to ease his worry about his family. As he was just a teenager at that time, he felt guilty about what he can do to help and forgot that he needed help to process his overwhelming anxiety.
Youth is one of the most vulnerable sectors in times of war, they must reconnect with their emotions and accept that there are things that they are not accountable for, instead they need support as well. While psychosocial support is imperative for victims of all ages, youth, and children, studies have found that children and youth are vulnerable to exposure, to violent extremist ideas and groups. While some may be driven by a sense of righteous indignation, others may be carried away by their ignorance (Hughes 2016). And these viewpoints can help explain why young people might not be able to see their potential as active agents for peacebuilding if they lack community support. Youth like Ken at the time of the tragic incident in Marawi need psychosocial support to process their mental health and lead them to realize that they can have a potential role to contribute in restoring peace in Marawi.
In Ken’s case, he learns to take them on as a test and uses them as, motivation to grow as a person and become a symbol of hope for his neighborhood. Ken is one of the young people who participated in the Artist for Peace Mentoring Program of the Teach Peace Build Peace Movement (TPBPM), which was run from June 27 to June 30, 2022, with support from the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund. Initially, Ken was unsure of his ability to write a spoken word.
“During the workshop, Kuya Verlin, the founder of Titik Poetry, taught us technical and creative strategies for writing poems. It became an outlet to tell my story, and now writing and reciting the spoken word is a part of who I am. “I thought I only needed to write in English.”
The days of the mentoring program taught him how to find inspiration, write deliberately, compose rhymed poems, and keep his composure while reciting poetry. He was able to speak and tell the tale of a terrifying battle that had taken place in Marawi because of the skills he had learned. One of the highlights of the program for him was when he was given a space and an opportunity to perform in front of a much larger audience. As one of the victims of the siege, spoken word poetry gave him a way to express his feelings, inner voice, and hope.
“I am beyond grateful to TPBPM because of the learnings and experiences. My TPBPM journey was really a life-changing experience. It gives me valuable insights into peace initiatives. One thing that is noteworthy in my learnings in TPBPM is practicing the culture of peace and being mindful in all aspects. It taught me to be a peaceful person and equipped me with enough knowledge about peace.“
After the program, Ken’s motivation to take charge of his community, particularly in Maguing, Lanao del Sur, significantly increased. He acquired in-depth knowledge and a greater understanding of the value of peace. He had the vision that he could change the world and the status quo while preserving and upholding peace. He wants to be a leader who puts people first, favors nonviolence over force, and upholds moral standards that allow them to advance social justice, peace, and order. He believed that leaders ought to think that responding and settling disputes peacefully can prevent sieges, wars, and even insurgencies.
“I envision myself leading the Municipality of Maguing as Mayor, and I am glad to be part of the Teach Peace Build Peace Movement family, where I will always be reminded of mindful leadership and genuine service to the people.“
He gets involved in the work and planning for various communities in Lanao del Sur by joining youth organizations. He admires TPBPM’s dedication and works in advancing peace education by giving people from various backgrounds effective and integrative results. He believed that he could use his artistic talent to inspire other young people, particularly those in Lanao, to become involved in their communities.
The pen is and will always be mightier than the sword. Filipino national heroes like Dr. Jose Rizal, Del Pilar, and Apolinario Mabini have shown the Philippines how writing became a tool for freedom and change. In the present, we continue to see the power of different forms of writing in speaking the truth, fighting the oppressors, and, like what happened in Marawi, giving voice to the victims. That is why different kinds of art, like creative writing and performing arts, can manifest the hopes and aspirations of the youth of Marawi. Maranao youth like Ken, who have been victims of the Marawi Siege, can use the power of writing to speak out for the desired change. It’s almost like a creative act for him; writing has kept me motivated to help my community. He is now actively involved in his youth group to inspire young people to make a difference in Lanao and create opportunities for their future. He continues to create spoken word poetry as an artist for peace in order to spread his optimism for his neighborhood and encourage more young people to take part in peacebuilding.
“I will never stop telling stories and making pieces of poetry. I will use my platform to spread peace, first from my circle of influence and then to the far-flung areas of my province.”
