By: Women’s Fitness Asia
Norhanidah Macatoon, a survivor of the Marawi siege, is redefining resilience through her transformative work with Team Aqilah, a youth-led organization providing psychosocial support for Muslim Filipinos in Lanao del Sur. In 2017, as bombs echoed across Marawi City and the lives of 360,000 civilians were upended, Macatoon experienced loss and trauma firsthand. The siege left her city and community shattered, but Macatoon chose not to be defeated by this hardship. Instead, she harnessed her pain as a source of strength to uplift others, advocating for mental health support and financial empowerment in her community. She wanted to offer a safe space for others to heal. “I refused to be a victim,” Macatoon says, “instead, I chose to be a resource.”
Breaking Taboos and Building Safe Spaces
For many Muslim Filipinos, mental health remains a sensitive issue, with conversations around psychological support often viewed as taboo. To address this, Macatoon and Team Aqilah launched Project MHARAWI, establishing mental health hubs at Mindanao State University. Through this initiative, over 10,000 students now have access to mental health resources tailored to their cultural context. By integrating Islamic values into their approach, the project has helped overcome cultural barriers, and today, more Meranaws recognize the importance of mental wellness.
To Macatoon, resilience is about facing life’s challenges with faith and strength. “Resilience is believing that with every hardship, there is ease,” she shares. Her commitment to this belief was put to the test as she encountered various funding challenges to sustain these mental health initiatives. Yet, each hurdle only strengthened her resolve to make a meaningful impact.
The Birth of “Cup of Hope”
Faced with funding limitations for Team Aqilah, Macatoon and her team sought creative solutions. Drawing inspiration from local coffee farmers and former members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), they launched Cup of Hope, a social enterprise blending Lanao del Sur’s coffee production with purposeful employment. With support from USAID and Plan International’s Marawi Response Project, Cup of Hope offers former combatants opportunities to work as coffee farmers, allowing them to reintegrate into society and build sustainable futures.
Cup of Hope has grown into a physical storefront that is much more than a coffee shop; it has become a sanctuary where displaced youth and community members can find support, connection, and renewed purpose. The enterprise also supports Team Aqilah’s mental health services, including seminars and workshops tailored to the unique experiences of Muslim Filipinos. As Macatoon explains, “We share healing by connecting openly over good coffee, welcoming everyone regardless of beliefs, gender, or life circumstances.”
Strengthening Communities and Future Generations
Beyond her work with Team Aqilah, Macatoon collaborates with Plan International on the Girls in Conflict and Crisis campaign, amplifying the voices of Muslim Filipino girls affected by displacement and armed conflict. Her journey is part of a broader narrative that showcases the gendered impact of conflict in Mindanao, while her leadership underscores the vital roles young women play in driving peacebuilding efforts.
Macatoon encourages young changemakers, especially women, to discover their purpose and remain steadfast. “Resilience, for me, is sab’r (patience),” she says. “When you understand your ‘why,’ you can overcome any ‘how.’” Her journey reminds us that when we embrace purpose, we become limitless, transforming challenges into catalysts for hope and healing.
