COTABATO CITY — An official of the Basilan Youth Alliance for Orphans (BYAO) highlighted their programs that seek to elevate the welfare of the orphans in various areas of the province of Basilan during the Bangsamoro YoutHours’ 18th episode, Thursday, May 5.
Muslimah Nasir Mustaham, BYAO president, said she was inspired to establish BYAO when her father passed away several months ago.
“When my father passed away, I came to realize that there is a need for me to create an organization that would provide safe space for my fellow youth who have also lost their parents, to make them know that we feel the same sentiments they have,” Muslimah said.
Among the programs of BYAO are community outreach initiatives which include feeding programs, distribution of school supplies to child-youth orphans.
In their future initiatives, they also advocate to uplift youth educational competency by bridging scholarship opportunities and concerned institutions in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
BYAO centered its values with the term CARE which stands for: Community and Partnership – developing a community and partnership for people who can participate to assist youth orphans in transforming their lives and the future; Affection and Compassion – nurturing the youth orphans who are demotivated, loss their interest through creating environment of love and respect; R- Reconnection and Unity – expanding the area and array of services and linkages to distant and nearby areas of Basilan; and Excellence – provide an educational program e.g. educational assistance and/or scholarship program for youth.
Muslimah, in her message, encourage her fellow youth sustain sincerity of intention in doing various acts of service.
“Let us utilize our energy as youth as advised by our Prophet peace and blessings upon him. Let us continue doing acts of service to our fellow human being despite differences in beliefs. In the end, we will all be held accountable on our acts. I remind myself, and my fellow to youth to be always sincere in our deeds,” concluded Muslimah.
Bangsamoro Youth Hours streams every Thursday, 4 PM to 5 PM at the Facebook pages of Bangsamoro Youth Commission and Bangsamoro Media Productions and airs at DXAE FM 99.7 MHz radio station in Cotabato City. (BYC PR Unit)
