Two Years On: Supporting Resilience for a Better Tomorrow - ROHINGYA REFUGEE CRISIS RESPONSE REPORT 2019

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Two Years On: Supporting Resilience for a Better Tomorrow - ROHINGYA REFUGEE CRISIS RESPONSE REPORT 2019
Two Years On: Supporting Resilience for a Better Tomorrow
        ROHINGYA REFUGEE CRISIS RESPONSE REPORT 2019
Two Years On: Supporting Resilience for a Better Tomorrow - ROHINGYA REFUGEE CRISIS RESPONSE REPORT 2019
Contents
                                                                                Leaders’ Message                                04
                                                                                Year 2 Accomplishments Infographic              06
                                                                                Camp Intervention Sites Map                     07
                                                                                PROTECTION                                      08
                                                                                       Child Protection                         10
                                                                                       Education                                12
                                                                                       Gender-based Violence Prevention         14
                                                                                WASH                                            16
                                                                                NUTRITION                                       20
                                                                                FOOD ASSISTANCE
                                                                                       Overview                                 22
                                                                                       E-voucher programme                      23
                                                                                       Fresh food vouchers                      24
                                                                                       Community cooking and learning centres   26
                                                                                CASH, FOOD SECURITY AND LIVELIHOODS             30
                                                                                HOST COMMUNITIES                                32
                                                                                ADVOCACY                                        35
                                                                                STAFF PROFILES                                  36
                                                                                LESSONS LEARNED                                 38
                                                                                THE ROAD AHEAD                                  40
                                                                                FINANCIAL SUMMARY                               41

World Vision is a global Christian relief, development and advocacy
organisation dedicated to working with children, families and communities to
overcome poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people, regardless of
religion, race, ethnicity or gender.

Produced by World Vision Bangladesh on behalf of World Vision International.
© World Vision International 2019
All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in any
form, except for brief excerpts in reviews, without prior permission of the
publisher.

Editor-in-Chief: Karen Homer

Contributing writers: Himaloy Joseph Mree, Kari Costanza, Sara Leister

Design and front cover photo: Md. Shabir Hussain

A warm thank you to all our staff members who contributed to this report.

For more information about World Vision's response,
contact Rachel Wolff, Response Director: rachel_wolff@wvi.org
Two Years On: Supporting Resilience for a Better Tomorrow - ROHINGYA REFUGEE CRISIS RESPONSE REPORT 2019
©Photographer name
Two Years On: Supporting Resilience for a Better Tomorrow - ROHINGYA REFUGEE CRISIS RESPONSE REPORT 2019
Leaders’ Message                                                                                                                   “Refugee children and their families are front and centre of everything we do,” says Rachel Wolff, Response Director.   Photo: Jon Warren

Fifteen-year-old Shahed and his           lives in the camps are more stable         services across six sectors to more           infrastructure across the camps and                 but not without their rights guaranteed.
family fled for their lives as violence   now, Rohingya children still face the      than 370,000 people in 23 camps.              prevented loss of life during the                   Unfortunately, they will likely remain in
erupted in their village in Myanmar       risk of abuse, neglect and                 Our budget more than doubled                  monsoons. In partnership with                       Bangladesh for some time to come. We
two years ago. As they ran, Shahed        exploitation, as well as physical          from $10.75 million in Year 1 to              UNICEF, we launched an education                    will continue to stand with Rohingya
grabbed his textbooks from his            danger and disease. Our goal is to         $26.9 million in Year 2.                      initiative that will benefit up to 8,400            families, advocating with them for their
home. He walked for six days to           help prevent such abuses, while                                                          adolescents who have no access to                   rights while providing protection and
reach safety in Bangladesh, his           protecting and promoting children’s        We are immensely proud of our                 any kind of education. We opened our                life-sustaining services.
books strapped on his back. Hope          rights. This is foundational to our        resilient, dedicated team members.            first full-sized women’s safe space and
kept him going.                           long-term strategy to improve the          Our 350 full-time response staff              plans are in the works for four more.               Today, Shahed attends one of our
                                          well-being and empowerment of              and 700 field facilitators work six           Our food assistance programmes                      adolescent multi-purpose centres. He
Today, Shahed lives alongside             both the refugees and host                 days a week to assist refugee                 reached 247,415 refugees. Our                       tells our staff that he wants to be a
almost 1 million people in the            community families.                        children and families.                        maternal and child nutrition centres                teacher so he can help other Rohingya
world’s largest refugee settlement.                                                                                                reported a zero percent death rate                  children. He has faith in the future. We
More than half the population here        We are grateful to our generous            This year, we surpassed even our              due to malnutrition among children                  do, too. Together with our donors and
are children.                             private supporters and government          “stretch goals” in multiple areas. We         under age 5.                                        partners, World Vision is walking with
                                          donors who make our life-saving,           became the World Food                                                                             Rohingya children and families toward a
Protecting vulnerable children like       life-sustaining work possible. Your        Programme’s largest partner in                What lays ahead as we enter Year 3 of               more sustainable, dignified and
Shahed remained World Vision’s            support enabled us to innovate,            disaster risk reduction. Our                  this protracted humanitarian crisis? The            self-reliant tomorrow. Please join us on
top priority this year. Although their    adapt and deliver cost-effective           cash-for-work projects strengthened           Rohingya say they want to go home,                  this journey.

                                                                                                                                   Rachel Wolff                                      Fred Witteveen
                                                                                                                                   Response Director                                 National Director

4                                                                  World Vision Bangladesh | Rohingya Refugee Crisis Report 2019   World Vision Bangladesh | Rohingya Refugee Crisis Report 2019                                                                           5
Two Years On: Supporting Resilience for a Better Tomorrow - ROHINGYA REFUGEE CRISIS RESPONSE REPORT 2019
Year 2 Accomplishments                                                                             CAMP INTERVENTION SITES
                                                                                                               Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh
                                                                                                                                                                                   Assets Built
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Hajimmapara

                                                                                                                World Vision Sectors
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Raja Palong
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Naikhongchhari
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1                    Camp 4
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Camp 1E

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Camp 1W

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Camp
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Kutupalong RC
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Ghandung
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Kutupalong RC
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Camp 3
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         2W
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Camp 2E
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Camp

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Ukhia
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      6          Camp 7
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Camp 5

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Palong Khali              Camp 17            Camp 8W
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Camp 8E

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Kutupalong MS + Balukhali MS

                                                                                                                           Food Assistance, Livelihood                        Cash-for-work Project Sites
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Camp 9

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               + Expansion Zones
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Camp 20       Camp 18     Camp 10
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Balukhali
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Pachim
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Camp 13/Thangkhali                       Camp 19
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Camp 12
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Camp 11

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Camp 13

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Camp 14/Hakimpara            2                    Camp 14

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Camp 15
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Balukhali
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Damonkhali

                                                                                                                                                                              Learning Centres (12)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Camp 16
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Goyalmara

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       M Y A N M A R
                                                                                                                           Protection (GBV)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Mucharkula
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Camp 15/Jamtoli                                     East
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Immamer Deil                                                       Palongkhali

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    (Choukhali)                                Kerontoli        Ghilatoli       Kathakhali
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Monirghona               Chakmarkul
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Camp 21 - (Chakmarkul)

                              371,611
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Madarbuniya

                                                                                                                                                                              Multi-purpose Child and
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Dainggakata

                                                                                                                           Child Protection
                                                                                                                                                                              Adolescents Centres (21)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Lambabeel

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Jalia Palong                                                      Whykong
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Shapotkhali                                                                                                  Unchingprang
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Chiallapara
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Unchiprang
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Camp 22
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        (Unchiprang)

                                                                                                                           Education
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Shamlapur
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Camp 23 - (Shamlapur)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Kanjerpara

                                                                                                                                                                              Community Cooking and                                                                                            Jumpara
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Nayapara

                      people reached with life-saving                                                                                                                         Learning Centres (42)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Main Road
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Baharchhara                                                                     Teknaf

                                                                                                                           WASH                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Shilkhali

                         humanitarian assistance.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Nhilla

                                                                                                                                                                              Women’s Safe Space (1)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               WV Presence
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Baharchora

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        0                       0.25
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Pankhali

                                                                                                                           Nutrition                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Uluchamri

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        3
                                                                                                                                                                              WFP Nutrition Centres (3)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Camp 25 - (Ali Khali)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Proposed WV Presence
                                                                                                                           Camp Management
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Camp 24 - Leda MS

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                .Æ
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Leda expansion

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Teknaf

            3,132                                   8,400
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Nayapara expansion

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Camp 26 - (Nayapara / Salbon)                                       Nayapara RC

                                                                                                                           Shelter & NFI                                      UNICEF Nutrition Centres (19)                                                                                                                                                                   Camp 27- Jadimura
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                XXX/YYY UNHCR/NGO camp lead
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   ted Nations
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                XXX/YYY IOM/NGO camp lead

       children enrolled in our            adolescents to benefit from
         12 learning centres.              our 21 pre-vocational skills
                                                training centres.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1
                                                                                                                                                                                                             Camp 1E
                                                                                                                                                                                                                UNHCR / BRAC
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    2

              892                                  300,000
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Hakimpara
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Camp 14
                                                                                                                                                                                            Camp 1W                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 IOM / CHRISTIAN AID
                                                                                                                                                                                                UNHCR / BRAC
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Kutupalong RC
     men and boys participated                 people reached with                                                                                                                                                                                                                    UNHCR / BRAC

      in GBV-prevention and                      clean water and                                                                                     Modurchara                Camp 3                                            Camp 2W                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Camp 15
         awareness training.                    sanitation facilities.                                                                           Camp 4
                                                                                                                                                     UNHCR / ACTED
                                                                                                                                                                                UNHCR / ACTED
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   UNHCR / DRC
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Kutupalong MS                                           Camp 2E                                                                                                                                                                Jamtali
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   IOM / CHRISTIAN AID

                                                                                                                   Camp 4                                                                                                                                                                                          UNHCR / DRC

                                                                                                                  Extension                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Camp 16
                                                                                                                      UNHCR / ACTED                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         IOM / CARE
                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Camp 6                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Bagghona

          15,300                                247,415
                                                                                                                                                                                                                         UNHCR / DRC                                                                                            Camp 7
                                                                                                                                                                                          Camp 5                                                                                                                                      UNHCR / DRC

                                                                                                                                                                                          UNHCR / DRC

         children received               refugees reached through our
         nutrition support.                  e-voucher programmes,                                                                                   Camp 17                                        Camp 8W                                                                                                                                                        TeliparaS

                                            in partnership with WFP.                                         Camp 20
                                                                                                                                                       UNHCR / ACTED                                    IOM / DRC
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Camp 8E                                                                                                                                                                                3
                                                                                                             Extension                                                                                                                                                                                                                             IOM / DRC
                                                                                                               IOM / IOM

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Camp 25 - (Ali Khali)
                                                                                                                                          Zone ZZ                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    IOM / IOM

           5,250                                  16,828
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Balukhali MS
                                                                                                                                      Camp 20
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Camp 9
                                                                                                                                           IOM / IOM
                                                                                                                                                                          Camp 18                                                                                IOM / IOM                                                                                                                                                                                     Camp 24 - (Leda)
                                                                                                                                                                                                               Camp 10                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               IOM / IOM
                                                                                                                                                                              IOM / IOM
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     IOM / IOM

     family members who enjoy             refugees and host community
       daily meals prepared by          residents hired for cash-for-work
    mothers in our 42 community          disaster-mitigation construction.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Nayapara RC
                                                                                                                                                                                                                Camp 11                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      UNHCR / ADRA
                                                                                                                                                                       Tasnimar khola
                                                                                                                                                     Camp 19                                                        IOM / ACTION AID

    cooking and learning centres.                                                                                                                         IOM /PUI                                                  Mainnergona

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Camp 26 - (Nayapara / Salbon)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           UNHCR / ADRA
                                                                                                                                                                                             Camp 12
                                                                                                                                      Camp 13

                      920,000 people
                                                                                                                                                                                                 IOM / ACTION AID

                                                                                                                                        IOM / CARE
                                                                                                                                      Burma Para

                 We are advocating for the protection and                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Camp 27 - (Jadhimora)

               rights of all refugees, including their voluntary,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             UNHCR / ADRA

                 safe and dignified repatriation to Myanmar.                                                                           Kutupalang-Balukhali expansion site, known as the “mega camp”

6                                            World Vision Bangladesh | Rohingya Refugee Crisis Report 2019     World Vision Bangladesh | Rohingya Refugee Crisis Report 2019                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             7
Two Years On: Supporting Resilience for a Better Tomorrow - ROHINGYA REFUGEE CRISIS RESPONSE REPORT 2019
PROTECTION
PROTECTION
Caring for vulnerable children and families
Two years on, the Rohingya refugee              including more than 400,000                       Despite this progress, the Rohingya
crisis remains at its core, a                   children—have fled into Cox’s Bazar.              remain at risk and their future
protection crisis.                              Today almost 1 million stateless                  uncertain. Without recognised refugee
                                                Rohingya refugees live in extremely               status in Bangladesh or legal
The Rohingya people represent one               overcrowded camps in Teknaf and                   citizenship in Myanmar, they are
of the world’s largest groups of                Ukhiya upazilas (sub-districts).                  citizens of nowhere.
stateless people.
                                                The Government of Bangladesh has                  Approximately 50 percent of
They have faced decades of                      demonstrated great compassion and                 pre-primary and primary learners —
systematic discrimination,                      humanity with its open border                     as well as 97 percent of youth and
statelessness and targeted violence             policy, providing solace and a level of           adolescents — lack access to even
in Rakhine State, Myanmar. Such                 protection to vulnerable children                 informal learning opportunities. Their
persecution has forced Rohingya                 and their families.                               parents do not have access to
women, girls, boys and men into                                                                   income-generating opportunities that
Bangladesh for many years, with                 Two years into this multifaceted                  would enable them to provide basic
significant spikes following violent            collaborative response, the situation             necessities for their children.
attacks in 1978, 1991-1992, and                 has gradually begun to stabilise. The
again in 2016.                                  Government of Bangladesh, United                  Without legal rights and protection, all
                                                Nations agencies and NGOs,                        refugees, and especially children, are
Yet it was extreme violence in                  including World Vision, have                      vulnerable to human trafficking, child
August 2017 that triggered by far               provided life-saving assistance,                  labour, forced labour, child/early
the largest and fastest refugee influx          improved living conditions in the                 marriage, gender-based violence and         Without the protection of schooling, many children play unsupervised in the hazardous camps or are often forced to work.   Photo: Jon Warren
into Bangladesh. Since then, an                 camps, and implemented successful                 other forms of exploitation and abuse.
estimated 745,000 Rohingya,                     disaster-risk mitigation measures.

                                                                                                                                              To mitigate a deepening protection               refugees in the camps, and advocate
                                                                                                                                              crisis, a comprehensive refugee                  for their safe, dignified and voluntary
Rohingya refugee families are extremely vulnerable to human trafficking, forced labour and other forms of exploitation.   Photo: Jon Warren   response is needed that addresses                return to Myanmar when conditions
                                                                                                                                              the needs of both refugee and host               are conducive there to do so.
                                                                                                                                              communities. Durable solutions are
                                                                                                                                              required that build the resilience of            As we enter Year 3 of the response,
                                                                                                                                              communities to mitigate shocks and               we will strengthen and expand this
                                                                                                                                              stresses. This includes safe, adequate           rights-based approach in our
                                                                                                                                              and dignified housing, high quality,             long-term service to the Rohingya
                                                                                                                                              relevant and inclusive education, and            and their host-community neighbours.
                                                                                                                                              access to income-generating activities.

                                                                                                                                              World Vision is contributing to the
                                                                                                                                              improved well-being and
                                                                                                                                              empowerment of refugee and host
                                                                                                                                              communities through our
                                                                                                                                              cross-sectoral interventions. We are
                                                                                                                                              also promoting and protecting their
                                                                                                                                              rights through our advocacy work
                                                                                                                                              with international, national and local
                                                                                                                                              governments. Our goal is to help
                                                                                                                                              protect the safety and dignity of

                                                                                                                                              World Vision Bangladesh | Rohingya Refugee Crisis Report 2019                                                                             9
Two Years On: Supporting Resilience for a Better Tomorrow - ROHINGYA REFUGEE CRISIS RESPONSE REPORT 2019
PROTECTION

                                                                                                                                               Children campaign to end violence
                                                                                                                                               Rohingya children are calling for an             go to the toilet outside at night. I’m           communities must be fully involved in
                                                                                                                                               end to the violence and exploitation             afraid that someone will attack me.”             the solutions from the start.”
                                                                                                                                               that they routinely face.                        Madrasas (religious schools) and
                                                                                                                                                                                                World Vision child-friendly centres    World Vision engaged more than
                                                                                                                                               During an ongoing World Vision                   topped the children’s lists of safe    5,300 parents and community leaders
                                                                                                                                               awareness campaign, thousands of                 spaces, with their homes a distant     in the campaign, including 75 faith
                                                                                                                                               children reported frequent abuse at              third for some due to domestic abuse.  leaders. The children developed their
                                                                                                                                               the hands of parents, strangers and                                                     own public messages targeted to
                                                                                                                                               older children. In focus group                   The young campaigners urged parents parents and camp leaders. Their
                                                                                                                                               discussions, both children and parents           and leaders to protect them physically colourful posters don’t mince words:
                                                                                                                                               described incidents of beating, yelling,         and to protect their rights to safety. “It should not hurt to be a child;
                                                                                                                                               hitting, name calling, peer-to-peer              But changing attitudes about harmful Hands are not for hitting children; We
                                                                                                                                               violence, harassment, forced heavy               traditional practices takes time.      want education, not marriage.”
                                                                                                                                               labour and child marriage as being
                                                                                                                                               common in the camps.                             “Parents admit that they sometimes               Through the campaign, Rohingya
                                                                                                                                                                                                emotionally and physically abuse their           children are now more aware of their
                                                                                                                                               Children spoke out bravely about the             children because of their own distress           rights to safety and can better protect
                                                                                                                                               forms of violence they encounter, as             and uncertainty about the future,”               themselves and each other.
                                                                                                                                               well as safe and unsafe places in                says James Kamira, World Vision’s
                                                                                                                                               Camps 12, 13, 15, 18 and 19, where               education and child protection                   “In the child-friendly space,
                                                                                                                                               the campaign was conducted.                      advisor.                                         I can play and learn. There is
Children pile through the door at one of World Vision’s 12 centres where more than 3,100 children age 3-14 are enrolled.   Photo: Jon Warren   “I’m afraid of going far from my home            “They are open to changing their                 no one to be afraid of there,
                                                                                                                                               in the camp,” says Shoshida, 10, a               ways,” says James. “But if we are truly          and that’s why I like it.”
                                                                                                                                               campaign participant. “An elephant or            determined to end violence, children             Jobair, age 10
CHILD PROTECTION                                                                                                                               a tiger may attack me. I cannot even             themselves, their families and their

Coming alongside Rohingya children                                                                                                             Children listed child-friendly spaces as one of the two top places in the camps where they feel most safe.                Photo: Jon Warren

Across the camps, almost 500,000                 committees this year with 2,464                children who are becoming
children need immediate child                    active members. During the                     peacebuilders as they
protection assistance. They face                 monsoon and cyclone seasons, we                learn to manage conflict together.
serious risks, including psychosocial            equipped them with information on              To enhance our staff capacity, we
distress, neglect, abuse, separation             how to respond to landslides and               conducted training on case
from caregivers, sexual violence, child          floods to help save lives. We also             management, and community
marriage, child labour and trafficking.          established 11 meeting points                  engagement and participation.
Girls are particularly vulnerable to             where lost or missing children and
child marriage, sexual exploitation,             caregivers can find support during a           As a member of the child protection
abuse and neglect.                               natural disaster or other crises.              sub-sector, we took the lead in
                                                                                                conducting quality monitoring, using
Child protection is core to World                Rohingya children also need a                  benchmarks developed by the
Vision’s mission. This year, we provided         variety of direct services. We                 sub-sector. We also led research on
child protection services with support           provide psychosocial support to                ending violence against children for
from DFID, DEC and GAC, as well as               girls and boys of all ages through             the entire response. World Vision was
private funds. We integrated ongoing             our 12 centres where more than                 selected as a member of the child
services with informal education by              3,100 children age 3-14 are                    protection peer review team for the
transforming child-friendly spaces into          enrolled. (Sixteen additional centres          2019 Joint Response Plan projects.
multi-purpose centres, in partnership            were completed this year to serve              We also serve on the case
with UNICEF. World Vision                        more children.) We also offer                  management task force. In January
strengthens child protection                     families training on positive                  2019, we rolled-out a child protection
mechanisms within families and                   parenting skills. Working closely with         information management system to
communities through                              partner agencies, we refer children            harmonize case management. More
community-based child protection                 in need to case management                     than 200 children received
committees. We established 224                   services. We set up 30 clubs for               case-management services.

10                                                                            World Vision Bangladesh | Rohingya Refugee Crisis Report 2019
Two Years On: Supporting Resilience for a Better Tomorrow - ROHINGYA REFUGEE CRISIS RESPONSE REPORT 2019
PROTECTION

EDUCATION

A right, not a dream
Rohingya refugee children and adolescents have been                            18-year-olds this year. Students benefit from
out of school for two years. Nearly half of the 540,000                        pre-vocational training and foundational classes in
Rohingya children age 3-14 do not have access to any                           literacy, numeracy and life skills. The pilot centre has
formal education, which is restricted in the camps. This                       reached 186 adolescents with training in tailoring and
means children cannot sit for exams or pass a grade level.                     solar appliances repair. Looking to learn about our
A reported 97 percent of all adolescents age 15-18 do                          model, decision-makers from governments and donor
not attend any kind of educational facility.                                   agencies, including Islamic Development Bank, USAID
                                                                               and UNICEF, regularly visit the centre. Already 2,237
This year, World Vision expanded our child protection                          adolescents have shown intent to enroll in the 20
work to include informal education, in partnership with                        additional centres when construction is completed
UNICEF. Children age 3-14 and adolescents age 15-18                            later this year.
benefit from our approach that integrates education with
child protection activities and psychosocial support. More                     World Vision has contributed significantly to the
than 3,100 children are enrolled in our 12 learning                            response-wide education sector. We have helped
centres for younger children. Qualified experienced                            develop curriculum and standardise core educational
teachers are in short supply, so we invested in on-the-job                     materials. We are also leading critical research,
training for 198 teachers that includes pedagogy and                           interviewing more than 400 children, parents, teachers
life-skills development.                                                       and leaders about education needs. World Vision has
                                                                               been at the forefront of effectively engaging faith
World Vision is the only organisation in many camps                            leaders to address cultural barriers that prevent girls
addressing adolescents’ education needs. We opened the                         from attending school.
                                                                                                                                              “I want to be a teacher or a doctor or an engineer,” says Shahed, an ambitious 15-year-old.                    Photo: Md. Shabir Hussain
first of 21 planned multi-purpose centres for 15- to

                                                                                                                                              Shahed wants his education back
Adolescent boys enjoy learning new skills, such as solar panel repair, at World Vision’s multi-purpose centre.    Photo: Md. Shabir Hussain
                                                                                                                                              Shahed wants to talk about his                  get formal schooling there and study          educated,” he says. “I want to be an
                                                                                                                                              education. This 15-year-old Rohingya            up to the level we wanted. Here               engineer so that I can make airplanes,
                                                                                                                                              teenager is desperate to get back               we can’t.”                                    and people will be able to go abroad.”
                                                                                                                                              to school.
                                                                                                                                                                                              Education can change the future for           Shahed is not alone. Thousands of
                                                                                                                                              “I completed Grade 6 in Myanmar.                thousands of refugee children like            Rohingya children dream about going
                                                                                                                                              After the violence broke out, we fled           Shahed. Thankfully, he is one of 186          back to the classroom wearing a new
                                                                                                                                              to Bangladesh, and I left my                    students enrolled in World Vision’s           uniform and carrying a backpack full
                                                                                                                                              education behind,” says Shahed,                 new training programme that will              of books. Education should be more
                                                                                                                                              speaking English confidently.                   benefit up to 8,400 adolescents.              than a dream; it is their right.

                                                                                                                                              Shahed carried his Grade 6 books on             “The centre opened four
                                                                                                                                              his back during his week-long walk              months ago, and I have been
                                                                                                                                              from Myanmar. He studies them at
                                                                                                                                              home—a cramped, leaking shelter                 coming ever since,” says
                                                                                                                                              where he lives with his parents and six         Shahed. “We are studying
                                                                                                                                              siblings. English is his favorite subject.      math, English, grammar
                                                                                                                                                                                              and Burmese.”
                                                                                                                                              “If the situation goes on without us
                                                                                                                                              getting education, I would rather die. I        Shahed has a long wish list for his
                                                                                                                                              can't get a good job if I can't get an          future. “I want to be a teacher or a
                                                                                                                                              education, and I will have to dig dirt          doctor or an engineer. To serve
                                                                                                                                              as a day labourer,” says Shahed. "I             people, I want to be a doctor. I also
                                                                                                                                              want to go back to Myanmar                      want to be teacher so that I can help
                                                                                                                                              because it is my country. We could              the children of our community to be

                                                                                                                                              World Vision Bangladesh | Rohingya Refugee Crisis Report 2019                                                                         13
Two Years On: Supporting Resilience for a Better Tomorrow - ROHINGYA REFUGEE CRISIS RESPONSE REPORT 2019
PROTECTION

                                                                                                                                           A safe space women can call their own
                                                                                                                                           “We had a peaceful family in                    community’s trust. Each week, a                GBV-prevention programme. “The
                                                                                                                                           Myanmar, but my husband has taken               growing group of women and girls               centre is a place where women can
                                                                                                                                           two more wives here,” says Khadija,*            attend the sewing classes here. Many           feel free to talk with others over a
                                                                                                                                           a 30-year-old Rohingya mother of                also take advantage of the counselling         cup of tea.”
                                                                                                                                           three children. “He doesn’t provide             services for GBV survivors.
                                                                                                                                           any money, but he asks me for food.                                                            Khadija found the support she
                                                                                                                                           Anything he earns, he gives to the              Some of the women say they believe             needed to cope with her home
                                                                                                                                           other women. When I asked him why               incidents of physical and emotional            situation. She says that her new-found
                                                                                                                                           he does this, he started to beat me.”           abuse have increased since they                circle of friends has made life in the
                                                                                                                                           (*Note: Her name has been                       arrived in the camps in August 2017.           camps a bit more bearable and given
                                                                                                                                           changed.)                                       Domestic violence can be linked to             her a sense of security.
                                                                                                                                                                                           the extreme emotional stress that
                                                                                                                                           Living in fear, Khadija shared her              refugee couples face, as well as               “World Vision staff have
                                                                                                                                           secret with her neighbour, Tasmin,              financial strain and coping with
                                                                                                                                           who invited her to come to World                cramped living conditions. Frustrated          taught us how to speak up if
                                                                                                                                           Vision’s Women’s Peace Centre.                  at being blocked from employment,              we are abused and report it.
                                                                                                                                                                                           husbands become angry when their               They give very good advice,”
                                                                                                                                           This is one of the few places in the            wives ask for anything, using physical         says Khadija. “When I come
                                                                                                                                           camps that women are allowed to                 violence to silence them.                      here and share my grief with
                                                                                                                                           visit. In the conservative Rohingya
                                                                                                                                           culture, women and adolescent girls             “We provide counseling for women               others, I feel better.”
                                                                                                                                           are rarely allowed to leave their               who are experiencing gender-based
Women and girls find the psycho-social support they need at our Women’s Peace Centre.                               Photo: Karen Homer     shelters alone. Families fear they will         violence and refer them to other
                                                                                                                                           be harassed, abducted or assaulted.             professional services available in the
                                                                                                                                           However, since the centre opened,               camps,” says Ruth Kimaathi, a Kenyan
GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE PREVENTION                                                                                                           staff have gradually won the                    psychologist who leads World Vision’s

Standing with women and girls                                                                                                              Rohingya women build support networks as they learn new skills together for a better future.                    Photo: Md. Shabir Hussain

Rohingya refugee women and girls face a                             On International Women’s Day (8 March), we opened the
disproportionate risk of gender-based violence (GBV).               Women’s Peace Centre—our first full-sized multipurpose
                                                                    centre for women. Women and girls participated in
Intimate partner violence is often accepted by both men             activities that help build trusted relationships and create a
and women as a normal way of moderating behaviour. It               sustainable psycho-social support network. Thirty
is seen as a natural consequence of a woman not                     participants graduated from the first three-month tailoring
performing her duties properly. Of the reported cases of            and handicraft production course. Addressing a significant
GBV in the camps, 71 percent of the incidents occurred              need, we distributed dignity kits containing feminine
in the survivor’s home. Intimate partners committed 74              hygiene products to 20,600 women and girls.
percent of these cases of violence.
                                                                    In June, we trained Rohingya faith leaders to help end GBV,
Rohingya women have few livelihood opportunities and                especially child marriage. World Vision introduced
they lack control over their household finances. Their              Channels of Hope, a proven approach to engaging faith
movement outside the home is limited. Their dependence              leaders for which our expertise is recognized globally. A
and lack of social support makes them even more                     renowned Bangladeshi Islamic scholar and a woman
susceptible to abuse and exploitation.                              teacher led a pilot workshop for 70 imams and influential
                                                                    women. Together, they explored beliefs and traditions
World Vision works to prevent and respond to GBV in                 about child marriage and united to advocate against
Camps 12, 13 and 19, complementing our broader                      marriage before age 18 in their communities.
programmes across 23 camps for women and children.
In Year 2, we trained women and girls to recognize GBV              Building on the success of our early GBV-prevention
and supported them to access professional case                      projects supported by World Vision Canada, the Japan
management services when needed. We also trained 892                Platform Fund, DEC and World Vision Korea, our work in
men and boys who are becoming keen advocates for                    this important area has grown with additional funding from
their wives, daughters, mothers and sisters.                        GAC, MFAT and DFAT.

14                                                                         World Vision Bangladesh | Rohingya Refugee Crisis Report 2019
Two Years On: Supporting Resilience for a Better Tomorrow - ROHINGYA REFUGEE CRISIS RESPONSE REPORT 2019
WASH

WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE (WASH)
Good hygiene equals good health
Supplying sufficient safe water and            with access to WASH services. Across            improved WASH education.
sanitation services to nearly 1 million        10 camps, we installed 98 deep-tube             Through our hygiene promotion
refugees is a huge challenge for the           wells, built 140 gender-sensitive               sessions, refugees are learning how to
Government of Bangladesh, UN                   bathing cubicles, constructed 716               maintain good health and prevent
agencies and NGOs.                             latrines and established 421                    disease, including safe water
                                               handwashing points. We supported                collection and storage. They
Up to 38 percent of the population             more than 48 WASH committees to                 understand how to treat their water
faces challenges accessing water,              manage and maintain their facilities, a         at home using bucket chlorination
according to a recent ACAPS study.             community-led approach that results             and aqua tabs. More than 32,000
Although the SPHERE standard of                in sustainable impact. A leading NGO            families received hygiene kits in Year 2.
one tube well per 250 people is                in waste-water treatment, this year
being met, there are not enough                World Vision established the first       We want ensure the delivery of clean
functioning and easily reachable               integrated solid-waste management        water at every tap in the community.
water points in the camps. More                centre in the camps.                     Our Year 2 water supply strategy will
sanitation services are also needed                                                     focus on constructing a centralized
to meet the SPHERE standard of one             Poor water quality remains a problem, water system and networks, including
latrine per 20 people. Currently,              putting children and families at risk of boreholes, a solar-powered pumping
there are 41,100 functioning latrines;         diseases. Water quality testing of       system, and water treatment and
5,000 more are needed. Adequate                various NGO water sources at World distribution systems.
WASH services are critical to                  Vision’s laboratory revealed that
reducing mortality and morbidity, and          more than 60 percent are                 World Vision’s effective WASH
enhancing refugees’ protection,                contaminated; 85 percent of water        programmes continue to receive
                                                                                                                                             Ismatara, 8, collects water from one of 98 tube wells installed by World Vision in 10 camps.                         Photo: Jon Warren
dignity and quality of life.                   samples at household level are also      generous support, including funding
                                               contaminated. Contamination often        from DFAT, DFID, GAC, IOM, MFAT
In Year 2, World Vision provided               occurs during water collection and       and UNICEF.
129,794 adults and 170,212 children            storage, indicating a need for                                                                A tube well for Ismatara
During hygiene promotions sessions, children learn how handwashing with soap helps prevent disease.              Photo: Md. Shabir Hussain
outbreaks.                                                                                                                                   “Water means life for women in this                 water is not deep, but it flows,” says     on her hip. It was tiring and
                                                                                                                                             camp,” says Lalaputu, 31, a refugee                 Rahamat. “But the water is not             time-consuming. Sometimes, she
                                                                                                                                             mother of six children. “Water is the               drinkable. We dug a hole beside the        had to miss sessions at the
                                                                                                                                             most important thing I need. Without                stream and waited for it to fill up. We    child-friendly space that she loves.
                                                                                                                                             water, cooking meals, washing clothes               hoped the sand and soil would work
                                                                                                                                             and bathing would be impossible.”                   as filters.”                                “This tube well removed the pain
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            of collecting water from afar,”
                                                                                                                                             Lalaputu has lived in the world’s largest           Sadly, Rahamat’s desperate measures        says Ismatara.
                                                                                                                                             refugee camp here in Cox’s Bazar,                   didn’t work. “My children and my wife
                                                                                                                                             Bangladesh since fleeing violence in                got sick drinking that water,” he says.    “I can drink water and
                                                                                                                                             Myanmar in August 2017.                             “They had diarrhea and other health
                                                                                                                                                                                                 problems, but we had no choice. We         bathe easily now. Drinking
                                                                                                                                             Alongside almost 1 million people, one              had to drink that water.”                  water from the tube well
                                                                                                                                             of Lalaputu’s challenges was getting safe                                                      doesn’t give me stomach
                                                                                                                                             water for her children—a problem she                Thankfully, those days are over. Now       pain and diarrhea. It’s safe!”
                                                                                                                                             didn’t worry about in her home village              Lalaputu and her daughter, Ismatara, 8,
                                                                                                                                             in Myanmar. There her family had a                  can collect water from the deep-tube
                                                                                                                                             tube well next to their house. They                 well that World Vision installed near
                                                                                                                                             could get water whenever they                       their house. Each deep-tube well
                                                                                                                                             needed. Neighbours also collected                   serves 100 families—about 500
                                                                                                                                             water from their tube well.                         people on average.

                                                                                                                                             Lalaputu’s husband, Rahamat, recalls the            Ismatara no longer has to walk far to
                                                                                                                                             family’s early struggles to find water in           collect water, scaling the camp’s many
                                                                                                                                             the refugee camp. “A bit far down the               steep sandy hills while balancing a
                                                                                                                                             hill from our shelter, runs a stream. The           heavy eight-litre aluminum water jar

                                                                                                                                             World Vision Bangladesh | Rohingya Refugee Crisis Report 2019                                                                         17
NUTRITION

NUTRITION

Conquering malnutrition—one child at a time
In Year 2 of the response, malnutrition continued to be a               lactating women, and children under age 5 to the centres.
critical concern among Rohingya children and women. A                   Once there, our staff assess their nutrition level. Healthy
recent SMART survey revealed that 11 percent of                         children and mothers receive supplementary food to
children in the camps have moderate acute malnutrition.                 prevent malnutrition. Those assessed as suffering from
More than 208,000 children age 0-59 months need                         moderate acute malnutrition are given high-energy food
life-saving nutrition interventions. Child malnutrition is the          supplements and are monitored until they recover.
single biggest contributor to deaths in children under age              Severely malnourished children and mothers are referred
5, making them more susceptible to disease and delayed                  to partner agencies who provide appropriate medical
recovery from common illnesses. In addition, only 24                    and nutritional care.
percent of refugee women achieve the recommended
minimum dietary diversity.                                              Every day, we reach an average of 800 children with
                                                                        supplementary food assistance. A total of 15,294 children
Mothers often aren’t aware of proper infant and child                   were served throughout the year. World Vision’s cure
feeding practices. If they are, they don’t have access to               rate for children suffering from moderate acute
nutritious foods. Training future mothers about good                    malnutrition was 92 percent, with a death rate of
nutrition can have an intergenerational effect, yet                     zero percent.
adolescent girls age 15-18 are significantly underserved in
this area. In addition, only 24 percent of refugee women                The first phase of this successful project ended in
achieve the recommended minimum dietary diversity,                      December 2018, and was renewed for another year.
putting them at risk of malnutrition.                                   This year, we also launched a nutrition programme with
                                                                        UNICEF across 19 camps. Our community workers go
World Vision works to address all these challenges. In                  house-to-house to provide iron and folic acid                  Jaheda celebrates two-year-old Minara’s recovery from malnutrition after treatment at World Vision’s feeding centre.     Photo: Jon Warren
partnership with the World Food Programme, we                           supplementation to thousands of adolescent girls and
operate three blanket and targeted supplementary                        pregnant and lactating women, to help prevent anemia.
feeding centres. Our community workers go
house-to-house to identify and refer pregnant and
                                                                        They also benefit from sessions on nutrition education.
                                                                                                                                       A mother’s prayer answered
Mothers learn how to prepare the supplementary food they receive to help prevent child malnutrition.               Photo: Jon Warren
                                                                                                                                       Minara was born in November 2017 as               At the World Vision centre, Minara               Plumpy’Sup every 14 days until they
                                                                                                                                       her family escaped violence in Myanmar.           was assessed as having moderate                  reach their normal weight-for-height.
                                                                                                                                       Her young mother, Jaheda, stopped at a            acute malnutrition. Today, five months
                                                                                                                                       stranger’s house to give birth to Minara.         and 10 visits later, she is a different          Although World Vision staff see 350
                                                                                                                                                                                         child—happy, healthy and playful.                children every day at this camp’s
                                                                                                                                       Jaheda struggled to care for her                                                                   centre, they keenly recall Minara.
                                                                                                                                       newborn on the arduous trek to                    To help prevent malnutrition, World
                                                                                                                                       Bangladesh. “Day-by-day she was getting           Vision supplies all children under age           “I remember her,” says
                                                                                                                                       tinier,” she recalls. “When I arrived here,       5 in the three camps with monthly
                                                                                                                                       she was about to die. People were                 rations of Super Cereal. This blend of           Neger Sultana, a growth
                                                                                                                                       telling me, ‘Your daughter will not live. I       corn, soy beans, milk powder, sugar,             monitor at the centre. “She
                                                                                                                                       thought, ‘Oh my God. Am I going to                and soy bean oil is packed with                  was tiny. If she hadn’t come
                                                                                                                                       lose my baby?’” Minara survived, but              vitamins and complements                         here, she would have died.”
                                                                                                                                       remained significantly underweight for            breastfeeding. Through the Super
                                                                                                                                       her age.                                          Cereal, children receive the nutrients
                                                                                                                                                                                         they need to stay healthy.
                                                                                                                                       Last year, a community worker from
                                                                                                                                       World Vision’s nutrition centre visited    Children like Minara, who are suffering
                                                                                                                                       Jaheda’s home in the refugee camp.         from moderate acute malnutrition,
                                                                                                                                                                                  receive the Super Cereal along with a
                                                                                                                                       “She registered Minara right here,” says ration of Plumpy’Sup—a ready-to-use,
                                                                                                                                       Jaheda. “That’s why I later brought her high-energy food supplement. It
                                                                                                                                       to the centre. She was so tiny. She        comes in packets, is easy for a child to
                                                                                                                                       didn’t like to eat.” Just 14 months old by eat and can be stored without
                                                                                                                                       then, Minara often had a fever and         refrigeration. World Vision monitors
                                                                                                                                       rashes covered her head.                   the malnourished children taking

                                                                                                                                       World Vision Bangladesh | Rohingya Refugee Crisis Report 2019                                                                           21
FOOD ASSISTANCE

                                                                                                                                              E-vouchers give refugees choice, restore dignity
                                                                                                                                              For the past 24 months, Rahazan, her             Rahazan, 38, and her family are among              lentils, but now they’re getting
                                                                                                                                              husband, Rashid, and their seven                 the 700,000 Rohingya who fled                      healthier,” she says.
                                                                                                                                              children have eaten the same bland               Myanmar in August 2017 to escape
                                                                                                                                              bowl of lentils and rice for breakfast,          extreme violence and decades of                    Rahazan’s children agree. “I love the
                                                                                                                                              lunch and dinner.                                human rights abuses. She remembers                 fruit my mother buys for us now,”
                                                                                                                                                                                               arriving in Bangladesh, desperate to               says Haikel, Rahazan’s 15-year-old
                                                                                                                                              Now, after about 2,000 monotonous                get food for her family.                           son, peeling an orange. “I want to be
                                                                                                                                              such meals, this family can finally                                                                 a teacher so I can buy fruit for my
                                                                                                                                              choose what they want to eat today.              “I brought my three-year-old son,                  mother one day.”
                                                                                                                                                                                               Solim and my daughter, Tasmin, (age
                                                                                                                                              Rahazan is one of 144,085 refugees               13) with me to collect food and                    Rahazan says she enjoys preparing
                                                                                                                                              who has received a WFP pre-paid                  clothes thrown from relief trucks,” says           the evening meal for her family.
                                                                                                                                              e-voucher. Each family receives a                Rahazan. “We ran in the mud beside
                                                                                                                                              card loaded with 770 taka (about                 the truck, perilously close to its wheels.         “My children don’t go to
                                                                                                                                              USD10) per person. Rahazan’s                     My children would cry out, ‘Give me                bed hungry anymore. We
                                                                                                                                              e-voucher allows her to shop at one              one! Give me one!’ to the workers.
                                                                                                                                              of a dozen WFP stores in the camps,              We were crushed in the crowd, but                  have proper meals twice
                                                                                                                                              choosing from 19 items, including                we had to get food for our family. We              a day with the vegetables
                                                                                                                                              fresh fruit and vegetables, dried fish,          were lucky to eat one meal a day.”                 I purchase from the
                                                                                                                                              eggs, salt, spices and sugar.                                                                       e-voucher store.”
                                                                                                                                                                                               So much has changed in two years,
                                                                                                                                              Rahazan can shop when she wants                  says Rahazan. Today, she is grateful to
Using her e-voucher, Rahazan buys oranges for her children at the WFP store, supported by World Vision.   Photo: Md. Shabir Hussain           for what she wants. “Now I can                   be able shop in the clean, organized
                                                                                                                                              choose and purchase our food in 25               e-voucher store. “My children were
                                                                                                                                              minutes, instead of lining up for                becoming weak eating just rice and
FOOD ASSISTANCE                                                                                                                               hours,” she says, smiling.

Food on the table: 247,415 refugees reached                                                                                                   Rahazan’s family enjoys a more diversified, healthier diet now that she can buy fresh food with her e-voucher.      Photo: Md. Shabir Hussain

Almost 1 million Rohingya refugees are fully reliant on                WFP is gradually transferring all households to the
humanitarian food assistance. It’s not by choice. They are             convenient e-voucher system. Families using the
not permitted to work, and have no land on which to                    e-vouchers no longer have to queue for rations. They
grow their own food.                                                   have more diversity in their diets, and more control over
                                                                       what they eat. All refugees should soon be enrolled in the
World Vision is providing direct life-saving food                      e-voucher programme.
assistance to an estimated 247,415 people, working in
partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP).                       World Vision plays a critical role in ensuring that
                                                                       beneficiaries are well-served through the e-voucher
Since February 2019, World Vision has distributed 6,120                shops. Staff members go door-to-door in the camps to
metric tonnes of food through three food distribution                  inform refugees about the new system and register them.
points serving six camps. Refugees queue up for monthly                They handle any complaints or concerns, such as lost
life-sustaining rations of rice, lentils and oil. To ensure that       cards, and work with local suppliers to guarantee the
the most vulnerable are served, World Vision hires                     quality of the food provided. The teams also ensure that
Rohingya porters to carry heavy loads home for                         every shopper’s food is accurately measured, weighed and
pregnant women, the elderly and people with disabilities.              properly debited from the e-voucher.

World Vision also works with WFP in its innovative
e-voucher programme. Refugees receive pre-paid food
assistance cards that they use to purchase fresh food
items in WFP shops in the camps. They can choose from
19 items. Including rice, lentils, dried fish, chili powder and
other spices, as well as seasonal fruit and vegetables.

22                                                                            World Vision Bangladesh | Rohingya Refugee Crisis Report 2019
FOOD ASSISTANCE

FRESH FOOD VOUCHERS

Healthy moms mean healthy families
“When I was pregnant, I wanted to eat many things,”                       the squalid, overcrowded refugee camp where available
says Minara, 18, mother of two-month-old Sofait. “I                       land is scarce.
craved beef curry and sour chutney, a sauce made from
fruit, but I could not afford to buy them.”                               To help improve the diets of 4,250 pregnant and
                                                                          lactating women, World Vision began a fresh food
Minara shares how she went without nutritious food                        voucher project in December 2018 in two refugee
when she needed it most—during her pregnancy.                             camps. The goal is to provide these mothers with more
                                                                          diverse nutritious foods, including dried fish, eggs, iodized
Like Minara, many pregnant and lactating women here                       salt, vegetables (onion, potatoes, pumpkins and spinach),
cannot access the food they need to remain healthy                        as well as spices, such as chilis and turmeric powder.
themselves and for their babies to grow normally.
                                                                          Each woman with a family of seven or more people
Refugees are not allowed to work so they lack cash to                     receives a monthly food voucher valued at USD15;
buy fresh food to supplement the rations of rice, lentils                 those with families of less than seven receive a USD10
and oil that they receive. (Many now benefit from the                     voucher. The vouchers can be used at World
more flexible WFP e-voucher programme.) While this                        Vision-designated shops in the camps to buy 14
monotonous diet sustains life, it does not provide the                    different food items.
vitamin-rich, high-protein food that pregnant women and
nursing mothers need.                                                     Surprisingly, the small-sum vouchers stretch a long way
                                                                          at the grocery shop. “I received my first fresh food
“Back home in Myanmar, my husband often caught many                       voucher from World Vision when I was in my third
fish from a nearby canal,” recalls Minara. “But we don’t                  trimester,” says Minara. “We purchased eggs, dried fish,         Minara puts Sofait down for a nap in the family’s small makeshift shelter.              Photo: Md. Shabir Hussain
get those here.” She says her family also grew vegetables                 sugar, potatoes and many other things from the shop.
on their small plot of land. Gardening is difficult to do in              I had good meals for a few days after many months.”
                                                                                                                                           Minara is grateful for the food                     delivery. She now understands the
Minara,18, with her son, Sofait, is one of 4,250 mothers who received fresh food vouchers from World Vision.   Photo: Md. Shabir Hussain
                                                                                                                                           voucher she received, but she equally               importance of nutritious food for
                                                                                                                                           appreciates the decision-making                     pregnant and nursing mothers.
                                                                                                                                           power that it gave her over her
                                                                                                                                           family’s diet. Stripped of their homes              “If I can eat well, then my
                                                                                                                                           and possessions, their country, and
                                                                                                                                           often even their human rights,                      son gets the breast milk he
                                                                                                                                           refugees feel powerless. Just having                needs. If I don’t get enough
                                                                                                                                           the option to choose your own food                  food, then my baby doesn’t
                                                                                                                                           brings some small sense of dignity.                 get enough either. World
                                                                                                                                                                                               Vision helped me when I
                                                                                                                                           “The fresh food voucher project is
                                                                                                                                           designed to give women the right to                 needed it most.”
                                                                                                                                           make their own choices,” says World
                                                                                                                                           Vision programme officer Ruby
                                                                                                                                           Areng, “Women receive the vouchers
                                                                                                                                           and they buy the food for their
                                                                                                                                           families instead of the men, which is
                                                                                                                                           usually the case. It empowers women
                                                                                                                                           in their families and communities.”

                                                                                                                                           Minara believes the food she was
                                                                                                                                           able to purchase thanks to support
                                                                                                                                           from the voucher project contributed
                                                                                                                                           to her having a healthy pregnancy and

                                                                                                                                           World Vision Bangladesh | Rohingya Refugee Crisis Report 2019                                                 25
FOOD ASSISTANCE

                                                                                                                                               A recipe for empowering women
                                                                                                                                               “Please have one, take a taste,” says               patisapta, a cake made with flour and      “After cooking together here, we talk
                                                                                                                                               Setara, proudly holding out a platter               sweet rice pudding,” says Setara. “If      together about our problems,”
                                                                                                                                               of warm, freshly made crepes. “I                    we can learn how to make a few             confides Setara.
                                                                                                                                               learned how to make these here just                 more things, we can sell them. Those
                                                                                                                                               this week.”                                         pastries will bring in money.”             “If we have worries, we
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              share them with each other.
                                                                                                                                               Laughter and chatter fills the humid                Setara and her neighbours are eager
                                                                                                                                               morning air as Setara and a dozen                   to earn an income. Refugees are not        If anything bad happens to
                                                                                                                                               neighbours cook together at the                     formally allowed to work in the            us, this is a place where
                                                                                                                                               World Vision community cooking and                  camps, but they need cash to buy           we can talk about it freely.
                                                                                                                                               learning centre in Camp 19. Stirring                daily necessities. Of the 232,000          We try to share each
                                                                                                                                               vats of fragrant rice and woks of                   families living here, more than 32,000     other’s burdens.”
                                                                                                                                               simmering sauce, they discuss family                are headed by women—most of
                                                                                                                                               matters and the latest news.                        whom are widows. Never having
                                                                                                                                                                                                   worked outside their homes in
                                                                                                                                               “This kitchen is very helpful,” says                Myanmar, they are trying to find ways
                                                                                                                                               Setara. “It saves us money because                  to cope as the family breadwinners.
                                                                                                                                               we don’t have to buy firewood. I have
                                                                                                                                               more money to buy food and other                    “At the centre, we discuss how we
                                                                                                                                               necessary things for my children.”                  can improve our situation and have a
                                                                                                                                                                                                   better life,” says Setara.
                                                                                                                                               In addition to having a safe,
Fewer children fetch firewood for their families now that their mothers can cook on gas stoves at our community centres.   Photo: Jon Warren
                                                                                                                                               convenient place to cook, Setara is                 The centres provide camaraderie and
                                                                                                                                               expanding her recipe repertoire. “We                comfort in a safe, celebrated space
                                                                                                                                               learned how to make pastries like                   that the women can call their own.
Cooking up strategies for success together
Complex problems demand innovative escalating conflict between refugees                          women prepare healthy meals while             Up to 1,050 women cook meals daily in World Vision’s 42 centres, benefiting some 5,250 family members.       Photo: Himaloy Joseph Mree
approaches. Our community cooking and neighbouring landowners.                                   learning about child and maternal
and learning centres are just that.                                                              nutrition. During agricultural
                                          Most families cook over open fires in                  workshops, they learn to plant
Our 42 centres provide a place where their small plastic tarp-and-bamboo                         gardens in sacks or on rooftops so
more than 1,000 women cook hot            shelters. They burn anything they can                  they can grow fresh vegetables even
meals every day for their families.       find—wood, old clothes, plastic bottles                in the extremely limited spaces
However, these integrated learning        and street garbage. This not only                      around their shelters.
centres also tackle camp-wide             poses a deadly fire hazard in the
issues—from deforestation and energy overcrowded camps, but is a severe                          At the centres, women also learn
conservation to women’s                   health risk to children and adults who                 how to protect their families in the
empowerment and social cohesion.          inhale the toxic fumes inside their                    event of a cyclone or during
                                          cramped homes. Many children                           monsoon flooding, information they
Piloted with funding from New             complain of eye infections and coughs.                 share with neighbours. They form
Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs                                                            their own committees to manage
and Trade and the U.K.’s Disaster’s       In our centres, women can cook safely                  the centres, building their leadership
Emergency Committee, the centres          on efficient liquid petroleum gas                      and problem-solving skills.
were originally built to help prevent     stoves. They no longer have to buy
fires and stop deforestation as refugees expensive firewood or send their                        To meet growing demand, we plan
decimated woodlands in search of          children to fetch it. But these centres                to scale up, opening several dozen
affordable cooking fuel.                  have become so much more than a                        new centres to empower even more
                                          place to cook. Today, they are buzzing                 women in Year 3.
Refugees remove 700 metric tons of        activity hubs where women are
wood—the equivalent of about four         learning new skills and building
football fields of trees—daily from local community support networks.
forests. The competition for firewood is In hands-on cooking classes, Rohingya

26                                                                             World Vision Bangladesh | Rohingya Refugee Crisis Report 2019   2019 Annual Report | Bangladesh Refugee Crisis Response                                                                             27
CASH, FOOD SECURITY AND LIVELIHOODS

                                                                                                                                                          A labour of love
                                                                                                                                                          Hamida fills sandbags alongside her               she became the sole breadwinner for                to ask me for good food when they
                                                                                                                                                          all-women team of construction                    her two children. She’s not alone. In              were hungry, but I couldn’t afford it.
                                                                                                                                                          workers. Clad in long, black burkhas              the camps, there are an estimated                  After earning this money, I am so
                                                                                                                                                          and tightly wrapped head scarves, they            32,600 female-headed households.                   happy. I can go to the market to buy
                                                                                                                                                          are helping to build a bamboo bridge                                                                 food for my children. I bought a hen
                                                                                                                                                          over a sewage trench.                  “It’s difficult for a woman to earn                           and some vegetables, as well as some
                                                                                                                                                                                                 money here,” says Hamida. In                                  apples and grapes.”
                                                                                                                                                          In the Rohingya refugees’ conservative Myanmar, she and her husband ran a
                                                                                                                                                          Muslim culture, it’s uncommon for      small quarter-acre farm, gardening and                        Earning an income gives
                                                                                                                                                          women to work outside the home,        caring for their livestock. Hamida
                                                                                                                                                          especially doing manual labour. But    never expected to be a widow at age                           women and men choices
                                                                                                                                                          Hamida and her teammates—all           40 or to have to find a way to feed                           and a sense of control over
                                                                                                                                                          young widows—are willing to test       her children on her own.                                      their lives—something
                                                                                                                                                          tradition if it means making some                                                                    many feel they lost in the
                                                                                                                                                          money to help feed their children.     World Vision provided work for                                frantic flight from Myanmar.
                                                                                                                                                          They are among the thousands of        thousands of refugees who
                                                                                                                                                          women participating in World Vision’s constructed roads, pathways, drains
                                                                                                                                                          innovative cash-for-work programme. and bridges across the camp’s muddy,
                                                                                                                                                                                                 sloping terrain. Teams worked in
                                                                                                                                                          “We fill bags with sand and cement,    rotations to ensure that many families
                                                                                                                                                          level pathways and weave bamboo        could participate in the programme.
                                                                                                                                                          fences while men do the heavier
World Vision engaged 14,922 refugees, including 1,906 women, in cash-for-work projects to prepare the camps for the monsoon season.   Photo: Jon Warren   work,” says Hamida. She lost her       Cash in hand from her first pay,
                                                                                                                                                          husband when violence erupted in       Hamida can purchase what she needs
                                                                                                                                                          Myanmar in August 2017. Suddenly       for her small family. “My children used
CASH, FOOD SECURITY AND LIVELIHOODS

Cash-for-work projects mitigate monsoon damage                                                                                                            Children are better protected from floods and landslides, thanks to bridges and culverts built by their parents.   Photo: Himaloy Joseph Mree

Rohingya refugees are at risk of monsoons and cyclones                  bridges and culverts. By building 1,300 metres of
every year. In 2018, the monsoon season dumped record                   roadways, we established access to some areas where
rainfall on the camps. UN agencies and NGOs scrambled                   none existed before. In the end, we exceeded our
to build the infrastructure needed before the annual                    targets by more than 100 percent, both in terms of the
deluge began. However, storms damaged or washed away                    number of people reached and projects completed.
refugee’s makeshift shelters. The hilly topography was
prone to frequent landslides. Poorly built roads made                   World Vision hired 14,922 refugees, including 1,906
movement in the camps difficult. The lack of drainage                   women, through cash-for-work programmes to do the
systems and adequate bridges and culverts caused                        construction. Refugees are not formally allowed to work
flooding that completely blocked access to some camps.                  in the camps, so this opportunity enabled them to earn
Thousands of families were cut off from food supplies and               a small amount of cash to better care for their families.
other emergency relief, sometimes for days.                             Cash-for-work is one of the few mechanisms permitted
                                                                        in the response that puts money directly in people’s
Following the 2018 monsoon season, the International                    hands. Earning an income gives refugees decision-making
Organisation for Migration led a disaster-risk reduction                power, thereby protecting their dignity. In Year 2 of the
(DRR) assessment to identify lessons learned and map out                response, we disbursed USD508,548 to refugees
needed roads, drainage systems and other infrastructure.                through our DRR interventions.

WFP provided funding to 10 NGO partners to implement
DRR projects. World Vision received USD1.6 million, the
largest award. We stabilized 23,000 square metres of
landslide-prone slopes to protect families and children.
Our teams constructed 4,100 metres of drainage,
including a kilometre-long canal in Camp 18, as well as 13

30                                                                          World Vision Bangladesh | Rohingya Refugee Crisis Report 2019
HOST COMMUNITIES

HOST COMMUNITIES SUPPORT
Bangladeshis’ sacrificial hospitality
Bangladeshi residents in Teknaf and Ukhiya welcomed more                     World Vision is helping host communities to recover
than 740,000 Rohingya refugees as they surged across the                     through cash-for-work initiatives and income-generating
border in August 2017. They carried food from their tables                   activities. With funding from WFP, we hired 2,427 men
onto the streets to feed families who hadn’t eaten for days.                 and 428 women from host communities as short-term
Although already one of country’s poorest communities,                       construction workers, disbursing USD99,765 through
they didn’t count the cost of caring. Today some might say                   cash-for-work initiatives. They renovated 10 schools
they are paying the price.                                                   that now double as cyclone shelters, protecting up to
                                                                             6,000 people.
Following the influx, living conditions deteriorated
significantly for the 500,000 residents in the host                          More than 1,000 small business owners also received
communities bordering the camps. The proportion of                           cash grants to develop enterprises such as vegetable
families with a poor or borderline food consumption score                    production and livestock rearing. More than 3,613
jumped from 31 to 80 percent one year after the influx,                      people benefitted from skills development and business
driven by rising food costs and falling wages. The percentage                training. We also helped 2,600 residents start kitchen
of households living on less than USD60 a month spiked                       gardens to diversify their families’ diets and generate
from 10 to 22 percent.                                                       additional income.

Refugees and host communities now compete for precious                       World Vision is a recognised, trusted community
natural resources, such as firewood. Makeshift shelters                      partner in the Cox’s Bazar district, having served here
blanket vast areas of farmland; sewage contaminates local                    long before the 2017 influx. We recently launched a
fishing streams. Food prices have risen along with the                       five-year project funded by DFAT to advance
population explosion. Tension and conflict is growing.                       ultra-poor households, and launched a privately funded
According to a recent study, 79 percent of local residents                   area programme focused on child well-being. Our goal                    Shahina, 30, is among of 1,000 local residents who set up a small business with a grant from World Vision.      Photo: Himaloy Joseph Mree
surveyed blame the Rohingya for the increased cost of                        is to integrate support for the refugee community with
living; 53 percent say they have increased crime.                            our long-term development work in host communities.
                                                                                                                                                     Shahina sews and reaps a better living
World Vision hired local residents to renovate this school that doubles as a cyclone shelter for up to 6,000 people.     Photo: Md. Shabir Hussain
                                                                                                                                                     Shahina’s treadle machine whirs as               years ago. Refugees outnumber the                   make sure her sewing room isn’t
                                                                                                                                                     she stitches her latest creation.                local population 3:1.                               flooded during the annual monsoon
                                                                                                                                                     “Now I can make beautiful dresses.                                                                   rains here.
                                                                                                                                                     I get orders from my neighbours,                 Desperate for cash to support their
                                                                                                                                                     and they pay me,” she says proudly,              families, Rohingya day labourers are                Shahina plans to expand
                                                                                                                                                     as she feeds orange cotton cloth                 willing to work for less than the                   her boutique. If the dozen
                                                                                                                                                     under the needle.                                average daily wage of 500 taka
                                                                                                                                                                                                      (about USD6.00). Unemployment is                    new dresses on display are
                                                                                                                                                     Shahina, 30, learned tailoring several           on the rise in what was already one                 any indication, she’s well on
                                                                                                                                                     years ago, but without a sewing                  of the poorest areas in Bangladesh.                 her way.
                                                                                                                                                     machine she couldn’t use her skills
                                                                                                                                                     to earn a living. Today, she runs a              Shahina is thankful that she doesn’t
                                                                                                                                                     successful one-woman workshop,                   have to depend on the local job
                                                                                                                                                     supported with a 20,000 taka                     market for work now. “With my
                                                                                                                                                     (USD240) cash grant from World                   income from tailoring, I can support
                                                                                                                                                     Vision, funded by Aktion                         my family,” says Shahina, a mother of
                                                                                                                                                     Deutschland Hilft.                               two young children. “I can pay for my
                                                                                                                                                                                                      children’s school expenses.”
                                                                                                                                                     Shahina is among of 1,000 residents
                                                                                                                                                     in Ukhiya and Teknaf sub-districts               A shrewd money manager, Shahina
                                                                                                                                                     who received a one-time grant for                used some of the cash grant to
                                                                                                                                                     income-generating activities. Wages              protect her business assets—her
                                                                                                                                                     are down and competition for jobs                prized sewing machine and bolts of
                                                                                                                                                     fierce since 1 million Rohingya                  cloth. She repaired the brick wall
                                                                                                                                                     refugees poured into the area two                around her simple tin-roof home to

                                                                                                                                                     World Vision Bangladesh | Rohingya Refugee Crisis Report 2019                                                                           33
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