THE EDGE IN KUTUPALONG
Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugee children are cut off from education in the border camps of Bangladesh.
|
Despite decades of persecution and displacement from Myanmar, the Rohingya have had relatively little attention from the international community. In August 2017, co-ordinated military attacks against them turned the media spotlight onto their plight. Described by the UN as ‘a textbook example of ethnic cleansing’, the brutal offensive forced 750,000 Rohingya over the border into Bangladesh. They arrived directly into the border areas where we had been working, providing education for thousands of Rohingya refugee children, for eight years. Children make up 50% of the refugee community in Kutupalong camp and, despite a wealth of agencies investing in education, currently 500,000 children still lack access. Children have suffered profound trauma and, with little access to safe, child friendly facilities, they face serious protection risks including child marriage, trafficking and child labour. Without adequate support, children face the prospect of growing up without an education and without the means to process the horrific events they have lived through.
|
|
WHAT ARE WE DOING TO HELP?
150 classrooms in the Kutupalong camp provide community-led education in a child friendly space, for 7,500 children. |
|
After an initial focus on humanitarian support in the wake of the crisis, we then turned our attention on ensuring consistent support for children. Our original 45 schools in the Kutupalong area were handed over to UNICEF, and together with our partner Mukti, we constructed 75 Learning Centres in the camps, whilst maintaining 28 classrooms in host and enclave migrant communities. The Centres are semi-permanent structures, to enable durability against the rains, whilst maintaining flexibility on location, should the refugee population move on elsewhere. The programme employs and trains both Bangladeshi and Rohingya teachers and offers basic education, healthcare, nutritional support, and creative opportunities to 7,500 vulnerable Rohingya refugee children who otherwise will have no access to those services. |
Not only do children benefit from the daily opportunity to play, express themselves and enjoy being children, but they experience the outside world through projected digital lessons. They also film their own news updates which are shared back and forth with children outside the camps. This not only gives students a voice, but enables them to interact with other peers to tackle their sense of isolation. The Centres are unique environments in the camp, with each classroom developed as a bright, colourful haven, with vibrant ‘green spaces’ growing outside each one. |
|
Marjina is 12 years old. Since attending our classrooms in Kutupalong, teachers have taught her how to read, write, and count. Marjina can not only write her name and her parents’ names accurately, but she can go to the shops and buy things on her own. This is because she now knows enough maths to manage small financial calculations. |
LATEST STORIES
The trials of teaching in a mega campWe talk to four teachers working in Kutupalong refugee camp about how they tackle the hardest teaching challenges.
|
Ways to connect beyond the campsThrough both printed and digital child-led publications, we are working to ensure Rohingya refugee children have a voice.
|
Education in a protracted crisisRead about the five unique traits of our Learning Centres.
|
'Standing in the Gap for Rohingya Refugee Children' - Download the Promising Practices Case Study on our original programme.
|
Three month snapshot - 'Education for Rohingya Refugee and Slum Dwelling Children in Bangladesh' -
Read our July - October 2019 report |
This work was chosen to benefit from The Times Christmas Appeal 2017. Visit our 'Times Appeal' page to view their coverage.
|
