Meet Abdul, a Rohingya refugee from a Children on the Edge learning centre in Kutupalong

Meet Abdul in Bangladesh

30/11/2022

Meet 11 year old Abdul, a Rohingya refugee living in Kutupalong refugee camp in Bangladesh...

Abdul Waheed is 11 years old and was born in Mundu Khuinnapara, Myanmar. His father was a farmer and drove cows and buffaloes and Abdul lived a happy life together with his brothers and sisters. When the Myanmar army attacked their village, burning houses in 2017, Abdul and his family fled to safety in Bangladesh.

The journey was incredibly traumatic and they tragically lost Abdul’s younger sister, who fell into the water as they were boarding a boat to escape. They had to leave her behind and her body was never found.

When the family arrived in Kutupalong, Abdul began attending one of our learning centres but he struggled to learn. His teachers noticed he was finding it difficult to concentrate. The trauma of losing his sister was seriously affecting him and he told his parents he could not forget the pain of leaving her behind in the river.

Children who have fled conflict, persecution and violence need a place where they feel safe and cared for to begin to move on from the adversity they have lived through. Our classrooms are vital for providing a sense of normalcy and a safe space for those who have faced trauma.

With a lot of support from his teacher, and extra help in lessons, Abdul is now beginning to thrive.

Abdul in class

He enjoys watching the digital lessons, and his teachers tell us that these have really helped his learning and improved his behaviour.

The Moja Kids newsletters he watches have also inspired his creativity and he has begun to express more interest in activities and learning.

His confidence has grown and he was made leader of his class recently.

Where language creates a barrier to education, our exciting digital lessons open up a world of experience and learning for children, like Abdul, confined to refugee camps in Bangladesh.

Thanks to our community of supporters, we can provide meaningful education for thousands of refugee children in Bangladesh.