It was the innocent look and the genuine smile on his face that will make anyone wonder, “Has this child ever experienced violence in his life?” Most people would probably think “probably not” just by looking at him and hearing him talk.

Bu Jalal Hamdanie, one of the  36 participants of the Artists for Peace Mentoring Workshop, has been through worse and he’s only 12 years old. Having fled Marawi when the siege broke out, Jalal saw dead bodies lying around. Struggling to describe the horror he witnessed, you can’t help but wonder how this child manages to remain optimistic about peace after what he’s seen and experienced. You can only admire this child’s innocence and zest for life.

To hear Jamal speak of peace will make you hopeful: if this child, someone who’s seen war firsthand, still believes in peace then, anyone of us must do so.

It wasn’t just surviving the Marawi siege that makes Jamal a true peace hero, it was also his everyday struggle to continue going to school despite scarce resources. His father, a farmer, and his mother, a housewife, struggle to make both ends meet. Jamal is also bullied in school because of his socio-economic status. “ I am bullied because I don’t have money to pay for my tuition. I don’t even have a bag. People tell me I’m poor.”

But Jamal is persistent. He acts as class president in his school and has dreams bigger than life.

Luckily, Jamal has a sibling who tirelessly helps them in their household needs. One can only hope that this child be provided with the opportunity to finish school because every child deserves a beautiful life.

As a participant to the program, Jamal promised to use his love for poetry in advocating for peace. He shared how the poetry writing session during the program helped him express himself. “You can express your problems through poetry,” he said. By weaving words, Jamal is also weaving strands of peace within himself, and that is more than enough to make him feel better.

He committed to share everything he learned to his family and schoolmates. More than that, he promised to be more loving, helpful, and cooperative. “I will start with myself,” a promise so simple yet so profound; a promise, when fulfilled, can have an immense impact in Jamal’s community.

The Artists for Peace Mentoring Workshop was created by Teach Peace Build Peace Movement (TPBPM) for the Pathways for iCOPE Program. This was co-organized with Save the Children in partnership with Plan International and other members of the Pathways for iCOPE Program consortium to achieve a sustainable positive engagement, collaboration and convergence of key actors and stakeholders in providing and supporting conflict-sensitive quality basic education services and protection.