By Saima Hassan | Director Development and Communications
Hello folks,
Hope you have been having a great year and are starting to enjoy some sunshine in your part of the world. It’s time to update you about the myriad ways in which you made a difference to the lives of the Rohingya refugees you have been supporting with your compassion.
Here are some highlights that transpired since the last time you heard from us:
RCF provides much needed dental services
The Refugee Crisis Foundation (RCF) has been working in the Rohingya camps, providing dental services six days a week. Over 700 patients have been treated so far.
The services provided include emergency dental treatment, extractions, scaling, fillings, antibiotics and pain relief. According to RCF, the oral hygiene habits of the Rohingya refugees are quite different which results in severe problems. They brush their teeth several times a day with salt, charcoal or sometimes sand, causing destruction of tooth tissue. The dentists have repaired the cavities to prevent further damage.
However, to prevent this problem, RCF adapted the oral health education segment of their program. During the hygiene training, RCF volunteers taught the community how to wash their hands and brush their teeth properly and made them aware of the consequences of not doing either.
Clinic health workers organize workshop to boost literacy
The Community Health Workers from OBAT's health projects for Rohingya refugees, held their first workshop on January 10th to learn reading, writing, and speaking in English. It was led by one of their own team members. Community Health Workers provide on the ground reporting and support to the medical team in the clinic for Rohingya refugees, by visiting camp residents in their homes and providing basic treatments and remedies, keeping the individuals healthy and the clinics less crowded. Click here to watch part of the workshop.
Playground to be rebuilt with donors' generosity
A playground that had initially been built for Rohingya children, was destroyed by the brutal monsoon season. OBAT's Board Director, Dr. Henna Qureshi, organized a fundraiser on Facebook and raised more than $11,000 for the rebuilding of the playground which will now begin reconstruction in February. Thank you to the incredibly generous donors and to Dr. Qureshi for this amazing effort to bring back smiles on the children's faces.
Teachers receive lesson plan and medical training
In the Rohingya camps, a Teachers Learning Circle was held for the teachers at OBAT's Learning Centers. The training focused on the development of lesson plans and daily action plans for Math, English and Life Skills. The training was carried out with the assistance of the education sector in Cox's Bazar; the sector provided the lesson books for the teachers which contributed to the effectiveness of the training.
A separate but similar training was also held for local Bangladeshi teachers over two days. The training was completed in two parts so that one teacher could continue classes as normal. Capacity building and training are an essential element of our education program and we look forward to more of continuous improvement training among our team members.
Proper medical training is also one of the most important aspects of our program. All of our learning centers are equipped with a first aid box and our Community Health Workers provide basic first aid training to our teachers. The most recent one which included CPR training, was held in February.
Rohingya construction project is a finalist for award!
We are excited to share the news that OBAT's construction project in the Rohingya camps is a finalist for the FIBRA award! The project is the playground built for Rohingya children. Congratulations to the team working on these projects!
Here is what the FIBRA award is about:
"To highlight the use of bio-based materials in the construction field, amàco (atelier matières à construire) launched the FIBRA Award with the scientific support of the Zurich Institute of Technology (ETH) and the know-how of BioBuild Concept.
The purpose of this first World Prize for Contemporary Plant Fiber-Based Architecture is to showcase the aesthetic properties, the construction advantages and the environmental benefits. Identifying exceptional buildings around the world will allow the public to discover them.
The FIBRA Award wishes to pay tribute to the courage of clients who chose to use bio-based materials, to the creativity of architects and engineers, and to the skills of craftsmen and contractors. "
Visitors get inspired by OBAT's projects
Shafin and Marium were two new visitors who toured the camps during March. The two cousins were visiting from Hong Kong and Houston, respectively. They expressed great admiration for the the wide scope of projects run by OBAT, especially the digital learning program that is being run for the children in the Temporary Learning Centre # 8. Shafin and Mariam also enjoyed talking with the doctors working in OBAT's clinics and visiting the Women's Empowerment Centre where sewing classes are currently being run. We are very thankful to Shafin who organized a fundraiser for OBAT in Hong Kong on April 13th.
Thank you very much for creating so much hope with your support. Please spread the word about the plight of this community and share this project's page with your friends.
Until next time,
Your OBAT family.
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