BBC Radio 4 Appeal: Supporting Rohingya Children to Learn

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.

BBC RADIO 4 APPEAL

Our BBC Radio 4 Appeal was broadcast in the week following Sunday 12th October 2025.

Our presenter, Susannah Fielding highlighted the urgent need for meaningful education among Rohingya refugee children in Bangladesh.

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.

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.

Meet Sadeq

Sadeq was nine years old when his family had to flee their home in Myanmar. He told us: ‘On that day I saw people being murdered, slaughtered, houses were burnt. I don’t know how we managed to flee’.

Sadeq and his family found safety in Bangladesh where he attends one of the learning centres we support. When he first started, lessons were taught in Burmese and he only understood a little. As Sadeq explains, ‘it’s not our language, we’ve never spoken it’.

Sadeq has now learned to read and write in Hanifi. He says: “The beautiful thing is that I can now actually write the words and sentences that I speak every day. Learning Hanifi has been a huge boost to my confidence”.

Our hope is to eventually translate Hanifi teaching tools and textbooks for dozens more education providers in the camp, potentially reaching as many as 337,000 more children. We believe this is a historic step forward in securing Rohingya literacy and identity.

Donate Today

Your support can help Rohingya refugee children learn in their own language, paving the way for a brighter future.

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

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Written by Communications Team

BBC Radio 4 Appeal: Supporting Rohingya Children to Learn