HI is helping over 85,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh

Over 910,000 Rohingya have fled military repression in Myanmar and have taken refuge in Cox's Bazar district in Bangladesh. Over 1.3 million people need humanitarian aid if we also take into account the now vulnerable host communities.

HI has been working in the Rohingya refugee camps since 2007 and was one of five NGOs on the ground that sought to respond to the needs created by the mass influx of refugees in August 2017. Since then, the organisation has helped over 85,000 people in 19 refugee camps, including the Kutupalong, Balukhali, Unchiprang and Nayapara camps.

Emergency response

Since 2017, HI has been running rehabilitation sessions for over 13,000 people with injuries, reduced mobility or disabilities, and has also handed out 1,800 crutches, walking frames etc., and has provided psychosocial support for over 9,100 injured, disabled or vulnerable people. HI has also arranged fun activities for children in the camps. Moreover, the organisation has handed out 1,000 hygiene kits to families; the kits contain cooking utensils, blankets, and food rations. Finally, two logistics platforms have been set up, supported by a fleet of 15 trucks, so that humanitarian aid can be stored and transported.

The needs are still great

Two years on, the Rohingya refugees are still very reliant on humanitarian aid, and their futures are uncertain.

"Many of the Rohingya refugees have a disability or are in a critical situation from a medical standpoint. These highly vulnerable people have reduced mobility, do not live in an accessible environment (no ramps etc), and are socially isolated, which makes them even more exposed to the risk of violence, abuse and exploitation. Our priority is to enable everyone to access basic and specifics services (healthcare, rehabilitation, psychosocial support, etc.),"

explains Jean-Loup Gouot, HI's country director in Bangladesh.

Thanks to HI's support

• Over 13,000 people have attended rehabilitation sessions.
• More than 9,100 people have benefited from counselling sessions.
• 1,800 mobility aids (walking frames, crutches etc) have been handed out.
• Two humanitarian aid storage facilities have been opened and a fleet of 15 trucks convey HI's and other organisations' humanitarian aid.
• 1,000 hygiene kits (over 4,000 beneficiaries), 12,700 food rations (over 63,500 beneficiaries) and over 900 shelter kits have been distributed.