Rohingya Refugee Relief Fund

Though 2020 is coming to a close, its struggles are not, especially for the more than one million Rohingya refugees, many of whom are still living in Bangladeshi refugee camps three years after the initial crisis. Your support of the Rohingya community is more crucial—and more appreciated—than ever in these trying times. I’ll leave it to JAAGO Foundation founder Korvi Rakshand to share what it’s like to provide a safe haven for refugee children living in Bangladesh. 

What about JAAGO's work in support of Rohingya refugees are you most proud of? 

Every child deserves to have a normal life and a safe environment to grow up in. JAAGO is currently supporting almost 500 Rohingya children directly by providing them safe shelter and food, informal education and trauma management through play therapy. These kids had to go through severe trauma at an early age. They have seen so much cruelty and violence at a very young age. At least we could take a small step to help them and make them feel guarded. Even during the pandemic, we are trying to provide for them as much as we can. Three of our volunteers are working continuously with a group of eight to ten children so that they don’t feel alone. To be honest, there is a lot more to do, to take pride in..

In your view, how can donors best support Rohingya refugees? 

This is the time to get united. Given that many of our donors are facing financial issues themselves, it has been really difficult to get help from the outside, especially for children who are orphans; it's been a challenge even to provide them with nutritious food. We would really appreciate more help so we can appoint more people to come on board and continue our work maintaining social distancing. 

Since 2018, JAAGO has been able to support children in the Kutupalong refugee camp by boosting trauma management, cognitive understanding, social skills development, and conflict resolution, while also ensuring personal protection and proper hygiene. Thanks to your ongoing generosity, project leaders like Korvi are continuing to provide necessary aid to the Rohingya, making way for a better 2021. 

With gratitude, 

Shannon + the GlobalGiving Team

As we mark the third anniversary of the launch of our Rohingya Refugee Relief Fund, we can’t help but be in awe of everything that your generosity has cultivated. In August 2017, the Myanmar military escalated its persecution of the Rohingya minority population. This sparked the displacement of more than one million refugees, primarily to Bangladesh. Since then, you and nearly 1,700 others have given more than $400,000 to provide refugees with medical clinics, food, hygiene kits, and education. Your support is more crucial now than ever, as COVID-19 continues to spread throughout refugee camps, where practices like social distancing are close to impossible.

Three years of solidarity

In a huge step forward for human rights, the United Nations International Court of Justice voted unanimously in January to order Myanmar to take action in preventing genocide. The legally binding ruling requires the Myanmar government to ensure that military and police forces don’t commit genocide, preserve evidence of genocidal acts, and report back on its compliance. 

Despite advances in preventing further harm to the Rohingya population, more than one million refugees are still living in refugee camps. With Myanmar's borders closed due to the pandemic and limited action from the Myanmar government to ensure the possibility of a safe return home, Rohingyan survivors’ future remains uncertain.

Of the Rohingya refugees living in the Kutupalong camp in Cox’s Bazar, the largest refugee camp in the world, more than 50% are children. More than 300,000 children in the camp are missing out on an education, with 6,000 learning institutions in the camp closed and extremely limited internet access inhibiting remote learning. 

COVID-19 comes to Cox’s Bazar

With fifty confirmed COVID-19 cases in Cox’s Bazar, GlobalGiving partners are jumping into action:

• BRAC USA is distributing hand washing devices, masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, and leaflets with prevention tips to keep residents safe. Their public health awareness campaign has already reached more than 700,000 people! 
• The HOPE Foundation has set up two isolation units with 50 beds each to treat COVID-19 patients, one serving the camp itself and the other for the host community of Cox’s Bazar. 
• Friends of UNFPA established a hand-washing system at each of their health clinics in the camp, where volunteers guide Rohingya patients in hand-washing and social distancing protocols. 

• JAAGO continues to provide education remotely through radio and the internet, ensuring that among all of the changes brought by the pandemic, access to education isn't one of them. 

These days, solidarity is more important than ever — which is why we’re so grateful for your support in supporting the Rohingya people in their time of need. 

With gratitude, 

Shannon + the GlobalGiving Team