We had been navigating the highway out of Marawi City, passing by fertile fields for almost a couple of hours, when we turned onto a narrow road leading to a small town. An eerie silence reigned over our group as our van rolled to a stop in front of a mosque riddled with bullets. "We’re almost here," I heard someone exclaim. I looked out the window and immediately saw a group of teachers amiably welcoming us.

Over a year since the end of the Marawi Siege has passed, and most of the residents of Lanao Del Sur are still reeling from the effects of the five-month battle between government forces and the ISIL terror group composed of the Maute and Abu Sayyaf Salafi jihadist organizations. While the long road to recovery is expected to take years, there are organizations stepping up to the challenge to help in the rehabilitation of those affected by implementing and supporting various livelihood projects.