Reaching More Rohingya Refugee Children With Education in Bangladesh

In 2023, we doubled the number of classrooms for Rohingya refugees on Bhasan Char island in Bangladesh. ​Take a look at the progress that has been made and meet student Puri.

In 2022, we were invited to set up 10 model classrooms on Bhasan Char island, where thousands of Rohingya refugees living in the mainland camps of Bangladesh have been relocated. These classrooms ensured that 500 children were able to access education.

Thanks to their success over the past year, the number of classrooms we are supporting has now doubled and we now have a total of 23 classrooms, offering high quality education for over 1,300 refugee children living on the island. 

The children learn from trained refugee teachers, in a language they understand and are able to access our award winning digital lessons which help to bring subjects to life and make learning fun. 

Children connect with their peers on the mainland by watching ‘Moja Kids’ video newsletters, which are a highlight of the week.

MEET PURI

Puri is 7 years old and attends one of our classrooms on Bhasan Char island. She was born in Myanmar and brought to Bangladesh as a baby in 2017. Puri cannot remember the horror of that year but she has heard about it from her parents. 

Before being relocated to Bhasan Char, Puri went to school in Kutupalong camp on the mainland, but lived in a constant state of fear.

​Puri had been scared about moving to the island and didn’t know what to expect. When she arrived she felt like it was “not my place”. She missed her friends, was fearful and worried about her parents, who, without work, were struggling to pay for essentials.

But, since joining our learning centre, she is feeling much more hopeful about the future and enjoys her lessons. The new classroom with play equipment and creative materials has made her feel at ease and she loves being able to play.

Puri has made lots of new friends which has helped her fears to ‘vanish’. She now feels safe.