It must be tough to be class president when there’s an ongoing crisis in the background.
But Mohannan kept calm, making sure her classmates stay focused in class.
She was 12 years old when she was elected class president in a school she has only been attending for a couple of days.
Although new at school, Mohannan easily made new friends. Her teacher also saw in her the traits of a good leader.
The 6th grader is among the 80,000 children displaced by armed conflict in Marawi City. She was forced to leave her home, her school, and her childhood behind.
In an instant, she and her family had to start a new life. It wasn’t easy, but this young student leader is doing her best.
A child's dreams
Mohannan and her family are now staying in a school-turned-evacuation center owned by a relative. She and her two younger siblings then enrolled in a school hosting transferee students. (WATCH: A girl called 'Bakwit')
This young leader loves math for a good reason: “I love to solve. I enjoy solving problems,” Mohannan said in Filipino.
When she grows up, she dreams of becoming a flight attendant.
Where would her first destination be? “Saudi Arabia because that’s where my mom was working when she was pregnant with me,” she said smiling. "I want to see it."
Both of Mohannan’s parents were Overseas Filipino Workers for quite some time.
Her parents did not expect that their family would once again be torn apart. This time, not because of their jobs, but because of conflict in their own hometown.
New school, fresh start
“We feel sad because we don’t know what happened to our school in Marawi,” said Mohannan.
“We felt that all our efforts there have gone to waste because the school just disappeared,” she admitted. “Maybe it was burnt down.” (WATCH: 'I miss sleeping in my own bed')
In her new school, however, Mohannan is more than determined to get back on track. She wants to encourage her fellow displaced students to enjoy learning again.
As class president, Mohannan hopes her schoolmates could enjoy better school facilities.
She wants her school to have a better water supply, as well as more toilets. “There are not enough bathrooms right now,” she explained.
Mohannan also wishes for their school canteen to have more cooks, so that more students can eat healthy meals.
And lastly, this young class president wants her fellow students to have enough books and school supplies.
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