Amira Lilangan: Compass GlobalPinoy Awardee
Compass PH, Safeguarding Global Migrants Compass GlobalPinoy Awards
Name: Tetchie “Amira” Usman Lilangan
Hometown: Cotobato City
Years in Syria: 6 years
Tetchie “Amira” Usman Lilangan was a Domestic Helper in Syria from 2009 to 2015. She decided to go abroad when her Father died on November 1, 2008 and she flew to Syria with a heavy heart.
She wanted to fulfill her father’s dream to finish her studies. She is the 2nd to the last of 5 siblings and it was instilled in her mind that she needs to finish her studies as her father always tell her “mag-aral ka mabuti dahil yan lang ang kayamanan maiiwan ko sa iyo na hindi mananakaw ng iba”, but then she decided to stop studying first to help her mother and her younger brother. She stopped and let her brother finish first and their sacrifices paid off.
She believes that she is still blessed despite of the struggles of her family and she decided to help other OFWs when a Filipina in 2011 asked assistance from her. She has handled cases of fellow OFWs like the ones who jumped from the building because of abuse, nurturing sick domestic helpers in the hospitals, physically abused by their employers during her stay in Syria.
“Ako ay Muslim ngunit hindi ko pinipili ang aking tinutulungan dahil naniniwala ako na si Allah ang ginaguide ako sa pagtulong sa kababayang Muslim man o Kristyano.”
When war broke out in Syria, she also managed to help the Government officials to rescue Filipinos to escape from the war zone. She picked them up from the area where Government officials are not allowed to go and bring the rescued OFWs in the Embassy.
Because of the rise of conflict in Syria, the Philippine Government immediately announced a mandatory repatriation for OFWs in 2015. Tetchie decided to go back in the Philippines to her family and finished her studies in 2018 but it never stopped her in helping Filipinos even if she’s busy in school.
She will be flying again as a Domestic Helper in Singapore this July 2019. But she promised that she will never stop to give a better future for her family, but also by giving back by helping other Filipinos and make them feel home wherever they are in their journey.
“Ako ay Muslim ngunit hindi ko pinipili ang aking tinutulungan dahil naniniwala ako na si Allah ang ginaguide ako sa pagtulong sa kababayang Muslim man o Kristyano. Hindi mababayaran kahit ilang milyon man na pera na makita na mapauwi sila ng maayos sa Pilipinas. Minsan ay naglalabas ako ng sarili kong pera para matulungan ang mga kababayn naten dati sa Syria, pero kikitain ko naman ito. Ang pagsabi ng salamat at pag ngiti ay magandang bayad na saking pagtulong sa kanila.” – Amira
