- Asia
Great need in a confined space
It has been around eight years since the Rohingya were forced to flee the massive violence in Myanmar. Since then, over one million have been accommodated in the Kutupalong refugee camp in Bangladesh. They live cramped in an area of just 13 square kilometres. Bangladesh is one of the poorest countries in the world and is reaching its limits in providing for the many refugees from Myanmar. There is a lack of food, income opportunities, healthcare and education.
Fire in Rohingya refugee camp
The refugee camp is repeatedly ravaged by major fires, causing thousands of people to lose their meagre shelter. The fires engulf health centres, damage the drinking water supply and deprive people of all their belongings. Shelters, clothing and everyday items are reduced to rubble - another catastrophe for people, especially families.
Building bridges between the worlds
The situation is also tense in the neighbouring villages. Resources are scarce and resentment is growing among the local population. As a result, social tensions are also on the rise. In addition to providing emergency aid and the most essential goods, Misereor's partner organisation Uttaran is therefore also working to promote good relations with the local population. Uttaran has set up so-called Community Cohesion Centres (CCCs) for this purpose. Here, Rohingya women in particular meet with their neighbours from the surrounding communities and share their life experiences and circumstances. The courses for girls and women that Uttaran organises and provides them with further training are also extremely important.
A secure income for refugees
The team from our partner organisation Uttaran is active both in the refugee camp and in the neighbouring communities and creates income opportunities for the refugees and local residents. With support, the women from the neighbouring communities implement business ideas together with the Rohingya, such as 26-year-old Ayesha Akter. She has opened a small nursery and is also creating jobs. When she started her own business, she received training from the team, seeds, fertiliser and start-up capital.
Earning her own income and being able to feed her family again: That is encouraging - and restores hope and dignity.
This is what our joint success looks like
- Emergency aid after major camp fire: kitchen utensils and lamps for 850 families
- Support for new arrivals in the camp: initial equipment for 350 families
- Longer-term income generation: pigeon breeding courses for 40 young people
- Measures for education and conflict-free coexistence: 6 active neighbourhood centres with courses and events
To ensure that your donation has an impact in the long term, Misereor uses a small proportion for important administration an related tasks. This way, we make sure that projects are selected carefully and implemented responsibly and that their effects are regularly monitored. Should it not be possible to use your donation as planned, we will use it where it is currently needed most.
Our local partner organisations
UTTARAN
Misereor has been supporting the Bangladeshi partner organisation UTTARAN since 1996. It helps poor population groups in the south-west of Bangladesh to adapt to climate change and improve the food situation.
Since 2017, UTTARAN has also been working in the Kutupalong refugee camp and is one of the pioneers of refugee work in the world's largest refugee camp.
Miriam Thiel
Donor Communications
- Telephone
- +49 241 442506
- miriam.thiel@misereor.de
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