Children on the Edge BBC Radio 4 Appeal

Donate Now

Our BBC Radio 4 Appeal was broadcast in the week following Sunday 12th October 2025. The appeal remains open via our website and matched funds are still available.

Susannah highlights the urgent need for meaningful education among Rohingya refugee children in Bangladesh.

A charitable trust supporting Children on the Edge will match the first £25,000 donated, meaning your contribution could have double the impact.

Listen to the Appeal

How Your Donation Can Help

£5

Can pay for five new Hanifi textbooks so children can learn in their mother tongue.

£30

Can pay for a term of lessons for a Rohingya child in Bangladesh.

£90

Can pay for a year of lessons for a Rohingya child in Bangladesh.

Support the Appeal

Although our Radio 4 broadcasts have now finished, the Children on the Edge Appeal remains open through our website. Consider donating, to give a Rohingya child the chance of a real education. Your donation can make a huge difference.

£30 could pay for a child like Romaina to have a whole term of lessons in a language they understand.

If you would like to donate to our appeal in another way (by cheque, through CAF or by bank transfer) please contact our Fundraising Manager Eloise at eloisearmstrong@childrenontheedge.org.

To amplify your generosity, a charitable trust supporting Children on the Edge will match the first £25,000 donated, meaning your contribution could have double the impact.

Donate Today

Meet Romaina

Imagine being just three years old when your home is destroyed and your family is forced to flee. This was Romaina's reality. Eight years ago, a brutal military crackdown in Myanmar drove over 700,000 Rohingya Muslims across the border to Bangladesh. Romaina and her family found themselves in Kutupalong, the world's largest refugee camp.

For generations, the Rohingya have faced a systematic denial of education. In the camp, lessons were a blur for Romaina. The mandatory curriculum was in Burmese - a language she and her teachers barely understood. She tried to learn, but the words felt clumsy, and understanding simple concepts was a constant struggle. Romaina felt frustrated and lost, yearning for a chance to really learn.

Watch Her Story

Since 2009, Children on the Edge has been making learning possible for Rohingya children. Recently, we introduced a revolutionary initiative allowing children to finally learn in their own language, using a script called 'Hanifi.' Within just one school term, children can grasp basic reading and writing.

Romaina's life was transformed by Hanifi. She'll never forget the moment she wrote her name on the board, met with applause from her classmates. Now, she and thousands of other children are making rapid progress. With an 80% illiteracy rate in the camp, Hanifi can unlock a world of possibilities and help build a stronger Rohingya community for the future.

Can you share the appeal?

You can help us reach more people and unlock the incredible matched funding opportunity we have for donations made to the appeal, up to £25,000.

Every share helps reach children who urgently need our support.

For Instagram: open the App on your device, download this image and add your text.

While we've provided some text to use, a personal message about why you chose to support Children on the Edge will be far more inspiring to your friends and family!

Suggested text for your post:

I donated to @Childrenontheedge and their recent BBC Radio 4 Appeal. They are making an incredible difference for children displaced by conflict, helping Rohingya refugee children learn in a language they understand in Bangladesh.

Donations to the appeal are being matched up to £25,000. If you can spare a donation, it will be worth double! Please join me in supporting this amazing work.

Find out more > bit.ly/radio-4-appeal

Meet Susannah Fielding

Susannah grew up in Hampshire. After training at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama, she graduated early to star in Tennesee Williams' 'The Rose Tattoo' at the National Theatre. Susannah has continued to be a prolific actress of both stage and screen with notable screen credits including the acclaimed comedy series 'This Time with Alan Partridge' as Steve Coogan's co-star in the mock magazine show, and multiple comedies and dramas. Susannah has recently returned to the stage to star as Titania in Nick Hytner’s 5-star production of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ at the Bridge Theatre.

Find out how your donation can help

YOU MIGHT LIKE

Who We Are

Children on the Edge works hand-in-hand with communities to support some of the world’s most marginalised children. We currently support 15,500 children across Africa and Asia, resourcing protective, enriching environments where they can safely live, play, learn, and thrive.

The Hanifi Script - a Literacy Revolution for the Rohingya

Children on the Edge is embarking on an unprecedented initiative to support thousands of Rohingya refugee children to read and write in their own language.

Educating Children

We work to ensure that children have access to high quality education, in bright, colourful spaces, with lessons taught in their own language, by trained and trusted teachers.

BBC Radio 4 Appeal

Susannah Fielding describes how your support can help Rohingya refugee children learn in their own language, paving the way for a brighter future.