Assist Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh

 Dear Supporter,

Thanks in part to your support, Concern continues to respond to the Rohingya refugee crisis in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. A needs assessment in October of 2018 illustrated the need for lighting in the camps. A lack of adequate lighting puts people, especially women and children, in danger when moving around the camp after dark. It also interferes with children’s ability to study and the productivity of their parents after dark. Based on the identified needs, Concern Worldwide carried out a solar light distribution in November of 2018. Today. I want to share with you the story of one of the families who received a solar light.

Marzaan has nine children (6 boys and 3 girls), and is originally from the Rakhine state of Myanmar. She and her children now stay in refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh.

“When I arrived in Bangladesh, my only belongings were my nine children. I came across the Shah Pori Island after the military attack at my village. The Burmese army set fire to the brush and five people were shot dead, including my husband Mohammad Shafi.”

Marzaan had a house, several small businesses, and a happy family before she became a refugee. Upon fleeing her village with her children, she walked for five days until finding the route towards Bangladesh. After staying at a relative’s house for a couple of days, she sold her last pair of gold earrings to buy a piece of plastic sheet and travel to the refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar. She secured her shelter in the camp and stayed there for thirteen months. When heavy monsoons caused a landslide, Marzaan and her family had to transfer camps and lost some of their possessions.

Marzaan and her family were selected to receive a solar light through Concern’s solar light distribution program due to the face that she was a single woman with many children to support. Marzaan was very relieved to receive the light, as she had been worried about the safety of her children, especially her daughters, after dark.

She describes, “My daughters were scared to go to the latrine after dark. All of them were unable to study at night as I had no light in the house. I didn’t know how to light up the house adequately without electricity.”

Thanks in part to your contributions, families like Marzaan and her children have solved their lighting crisis, and are now able to live safer and more full lives.