Project Ranao by Princess Alrezah A. Radiamoda

Photo courtesy of Ms. Princess

Meet Princess - The young change maker reviving Marawi through Project Ranao

In June 2024, Princess launched Project Ranao in the heart of Marawi, her family’s hometown, after witnessing firsthand the environmental damage left in the wake of the siege back in 2017.

“I wanted to help the community foster care for the environment. The problems were everywhere from waste disposal to the general pollution in the area. But I believed that even small steps could create change,” she reflected.

Though Princess grew up in Cagayan de Oro, her connection to Marawi ran deep. At just nine years old, she began helping with food distribution during Ramadan and doing small outreach programs. But it wasn’t until she was 15 that she formally became a community organizer, and Project Ranao was born.

Photo courtesy of Ms. Princess

Her passion was ignited further when she was chosen to join the prestigious Philippine Youth Leadership Program (PYLP), sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and held in Illinois. There, she participated in workshops and community service. One moment stuck with her deeply, a storytelling workshop where the speaker asked, “What do you want to be remembered for?”

“That question really made me reflect,” she said. “I knew I wanted to be remembered as the humble and sweet girl who tried her best for her community.”

Project Ranao began in earnest in May with months of planning. Princess reached out to potential collaborators, including YACAP PH Mindanao, local businesses, LGUs, authors of storybooks, and even a few senators. The three-day event officially launched on June 25.

On Day 0, youth aged 12 to 25, and a few adults, attended an orientation filled with games and workshops focused on identifying environmental issues and building community-driven solutions. One nine-year-old participant, Jelila, summed up the event’s spirit simply: “These kinds of initiatives should be continued.”

Day 1 brought a cleanup drive, coordinated in partnership with the City Natural Resource Office, local police, LGUs, and the Department of Education. Volunteers worked side by side to clean areas heavily affected by pollution.

Day 2 shifted the focus to the younger children, aged 5 to 12. Storytelling became the heart of the day, as they listened to “Jalal and the Lake,” a story that captured the project's advocacy. Despite minor technical difficulties, the children left with a better understanding of how nature and community are interconnected.

Photo courtesy of Project Ranao

Princess admitted that the pre-implementation stage had its share of obstacles. “Offices were slow to respond, some weren’t cooperative, and time was always tight,” she said. But her mindset kept her going. “It helps to think positively. See the good. It's how we grow and learn.”

What began with just three volunteers has now grown into a team of fifteen, and counting. And Princess isn’t stopping any time soon.

With dreams of launching medical missions and more green initiatives, she now spends her time conceptualizing and advocating through summits and speaking engagements. And when she’s not organizing or collaborating, she paints, rests, and brainstorms what’s next.

Fittingly, Project Ranao all began with a couple paintings, one she made during her PYLP stay in the U.S. with her foster parents. It depicted memories of nature, of lakes, trees and birds. A symbol of what was, and what could be again.