By Andrea Osorio | Disaster Recovery Network Fellow
In times of uncertainty, local nonprofit organizations are on the frontlines of addressing the needs of their communities. As the COVID-19 pandemic fills the headlines, we take a moment to acknowledge the critical work that grassroots organizations are doing to protect those most at-risk during a crisis situation.
In particular, GlobalGiving’s nonprofit partners operating in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh are working hard to build resilience in the Rohingya refugee community as they have been doing for the past two years. From innovative preventative healthcare measures in tackling cholera, to the construction of permanent structures as safe spaces for children’s education, your support of the Rohingya Refugee Relief Fund has been reducing vulnerabilities for the long-term.
Constructive Solutions To Education Challenges
Accessing basic education curriculum continues to be an ongoing struggle for refugees fleeing the violence and instability in their home country of Myanmar. As a result, aid organizations have had to get creative in their efforts to bring learning opportunities to thousands of youth. Nonprofit partner JAAGO Foundation has done just that by building newclassrooms and a library—all powered by solar panels—to create a healthy environment for students to learn.
Strengthening Community Health Networks
Unsanitary camp conditions in the Cox’s Bazar and Kutupalong settlements oftentimes cause residents to suffer from persistent colds and infections. In order to build the community’s immunity and reduce the risk of transmission, organizations such as OBAT Helpers have been instrumental in building trust between community members and doctors in order to provide vaccinations, address symptoms, and deliver treatment. At the Rohingya Health Clinic, over 300 patients a day are met by dedicated teams of staff of both Rohingya and other medical volunteers.
Sharing Critical Information With Added Fact-checking
In times of crisis, sharing information with those who need it is only half the battle. The other half is the important step of fact-checking—which separates life-saving information from rumors or messages that might sow panic or mistrust. Nonprofit organization Internews is working hard to address this issue on both fronts. Through constant feedback loops, the organization identifies the most important information needs in the community and distributes it through radio, social media, and in-person announcements, while keeping a close eye on the spread of misinformation. This helps ensure communities receive the information they need to keep themselves and their families safe.
Thank you again for your ongoing support of this fund and the communities facing high risk during global health crises. We will continue to share regular updates on how your contribution is making a difference in this ongoing displacement crisis by supporting local, community-led initiatives.
With gratitude,
Andrea
By Andrea Osorio | GlobalGiving Disaster Recovery Network Fellow
By Andrea Osorio | GlobalGiving Fellow
Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
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When a disaster strikes, recovery efforts led by people who live and work in affected communities are often overlooked and underfunded. GlobalGiving is changing this reality. Since 2004, we've been shifting decision-making power to crises-affected communities through trust-based grantmaking and support.
We make it easy, quick, and safe to support people on the ground who understand needs in their communities better than anyone else.
They were there long before the news cameras arrived, and they’ll be there long after the cameras leave. They know how to make their communities more resilient to future disasters, and they’re already hard at work. GlobalGiving puts donations and grants directly into their hands. Because the status quo—which gives the vast majority of funding to a few large organizations—doesn’t make sense.
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