Support Rohingya refugee women

Dear supporters,

There’s been a lot of news lately about the upcoming monsoon season in Bangladesh and how it will affect Rohingya refugees. I want you to know what ActionAid is doing to prepare.

Since August 2017, hundreds of thousands of Rohingya people have been forced to flee violence in Myanmar. Many arrive at the Kutupalong-Balukhali refugee camp in Bangladesh, and ActionAid is there to meet them.

Our local Bangladeshi team has already reached more than 65,000 Rohingya refugees with emergency support, including safe drinking water, food, washrooms, warm blankets and clothes, and safe spaces for women. I visited the camp just a few months ago and met with some of the strong, resilient women who are rebuilding their lives. I invite you to take a walk around the camp with this 360-degree video and see some of the work we’re doing.
 

But the monsoon season is coming. The rains threaten major damage: impassable roads, collapsed buildings, overflowing latrines, food shortages, and illness. Kutupalong-Balukhali is the world’s largest refugee camp, and these rains will affect thousands of the world’s most vulnerable people.

Our team is preparing. Thanks to the generosity of supporters like you, last month ActionAid helped 3,4000 people at risk of landslides or floods to relocate, and we are in the process of helping 20,000 more. In collaboration with the Government of Bangladesh, 20 km of drainage is being prepared around shelters, washrooms, food distribution areas, and women’s spaces, and we've coordinated the strengthening of shelters for more than 100,000 families in the camp. There is so much more work to be done as the camp is dangerously congested and exposed to the elements.

We believe in the resilience of the Rohingya people, and we’re grateful for your support. Your solidarity is as important as ever, as thousands of families face the challenges of the rainy season. I’ll be in touch in the coming weeks, as the first major rains hit, with updates from the ground.

Sincerely,

Chris

Chris Coxon
Director of Communications, ActionAid USA