Rohingya Humanitarian Crisis in Bangladesh Worsens: Thousands of Learning Centres Shut Down, Girls’ Education Dreams Shattered
Eight years have passed since the Rohingya humanitarian crisis erupted, leaving countless refugees without the homes that should have been their warmest shelter. In recent years, global humanitarian resources have grown increasingly scarce, forcing the closure of more than a thousand learning centres in refugee camps—robbing children, especially girls, of the hope to change their destinies.
Last July, I visited the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh—where more than 1.1 million people struggle to survive, nearly half of them children. Among them are countless girls who endured unspeakable sexual violence during their escape, leaving deep scars on both body and soul. In their eyes, one can glimpse both bottomless pain and a fragile glimmer of light—their yearning for a future, for the possibility of rewriting their fate.
HK$4 Per Day : Bring Girls Hope and Freedom
Girls Living in Fear and Uncertainty, With No Place to Call Home
The Rohingya are a minority group originally residing in Myanmar, long denied citizenship and basic rights. Since 2017, when conflict erupted in Rakhine State, more than 700,000 Rohingya fled overnight to neighbouring Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar, which has since become the world’s largest refugee camp.
The camp sprawls across layered hillsides, with bamboo poles and tarpaulin forming endless rows of temporary shelters, resembling a city cut off from the outside world. Refugees have neither identity nor nationality; children are deprived of education, adults are barred from work and freedom of movement, surviving only on meagre humanitarian aid day after day. Violence is rampant, sexual harassment pervasive, and the harsh, overcrowded environment leaves girls especially vulnerable—facing high risks of child marriage, sexual violence, and human trafficking.
Sanitation in the camps is dire. Each rainy season, mud and sewage flood the narrow roads, while makeshift tents leak and collapse under the downpour—posing serious threats to children’s health and safety.
What is most heartbreaking is that, as severe humanitarian crises have erupted in Gaza, Ukraine, and Sudan in recent years, global relief resources have been stretched even thinner. Funding cuts have forced the closure of 1,200 learning centres in the camps, leaving 3,000 teachers and volunteer educators unable to continue their work. Several aid programs now face suspension as well.
Children, and especially girls, have not only lost safe spaces but have also been stripped of the chance to transform their futures through education. Their path forward has grown increasingly uncertain, as though hope and the promise of tomorrow have been erased entirely.
Rohingya Refugee Girls Endure Trauma, Sexual Violence, and Lasting Scars
Conflicts destroyed not only homes but also thrust countless girls into endless darkness. I will never forget the story of Kamila (Pseudonym), a Rohingya refugee girl. At just 16, she saw military conflict claim the lives of 35 family members. Alone, she walked 160 kilometres to escape, suffering brutal sexual violence along the way. When found, she was exhausted and dishevelled. Though reunited with her husband, her young daughter was lost in the chaos and remains missing. The image of Kamila curled in a corner, silently weeping, is etched in my memory—her silence is more heartbreaking than words. As I held her hand, I felt deeply that we cannot stand idly by.
*Pseudonym: name has been changed to protect the identity of the survivor.
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| Kamila*, unable to speak due to trauma, relies on her sister Halina* to recount her ordeal. The sisters’ mutual support in crisis is profoundly moving. | I placed a paper crane—symbolising peace and hope—into their hands, wishing their courage might soar beyond the darkness toward new life. |
Husband Disappears Without Reason – Education Restores Girls’ Hope
There were also heartening moments during the visit: in the depths of despair, education has become a ray of light for girls. Plan International has been implementing girls’ rights projects in the camp, providing safe learning spaces, skills training, and psychosocial support, helping girls overcome adversity, reclaim dignity, and pursue dreams. To date, 5,010 refugee girls have benefited, gaining access to education and vocational training opportunities.
Though burdened with pain, Salina has rediscovered hope through education.
Despite the heavy burden of trauma, education has allowed Salina*, a 28‑year‑old Rohingya woman, to rediscover hope and develop her potential. At the age of 17, she was forced to flee her home due to military conflict. During her escape, she hid in a narrow underground cave for five days, surviving only by eating leaves, with the thin air nearly suffocating her. After finally reaching the refugee camp and rebuilding her life, her husband suddenly disappeared without explanation. Left to raise two children alone, she now struggles daily against sexual harassment from neighbours and the heavy pressures of survival, enduring helplessness and fear as she fights to carry on.
Thankfully, through Plan International’s education programmes, Salina was able to continue learning and pursue her dream of becoming a teacher. Whenever she speaks about education, the shadows in her eyes seem to fade, replaced by a radiant glow that reveals her unwavering belief: with knowledge, she can transform her destiny and build a brighter future for herself and her children. She shared her dream with conviction: “I hope to use my skills to support my family, while also educating more refugee children so they can change their future.”
*Pseudonym: name has been changed to protect the identity of the survivor.
Supporting Refugee Girls to Learn, Heal, and Reclaim Their Future
In the refugee camps, violence is frequent, making the protection of children—especially girls—an urgent priority. Plan International believes that in this seemingly endless darkness, education is the key for children to regain hope and a sense of safety. We are committed to setting up child-friendly spaces within the camps, safeguarding children while enabling them to learn through play and receive psychosocial support to ease their distress. At the same time, we strive to ensure that refugee children and girls have access to education. Subjects like Bangla, Burmese, English, and mathematics are taught so that children can transition smoothly into formal schooling if they return to Myanmar or resettle elsewhere. Equally important is empowering refugee girls. Through life skills training, we help them build confidence, understand their rights, and protect themselves from child marriage and sexual violence—paving the way toward self-reliance.
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| We are dedicated to ensuring that children and girls can continue learning even in the midst of crisis, preserving hope for the future. | |
During this visit, I was deeply moved by the resilience of refugee girls—despite their hardships, they displayed remarkable strength. Yet global humanitarian funding is facing severe shortages, leaving countless girls on the brink of darkness, their access to education in jeopardy. We invite you to support our girls’ rights projects and help light the path of hope for Rohingya refugee girls. By providing learning materials, you can help them continue their education; through psychosocial support, you can help them heal from trauma, rebuild confidence, and seize the chance to rewrite their futures.
Your support can help:
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- HK$100: Provide teaching materials for one child-friendly space in the refugee camp, enabling refugee children to play, learn, and receive psychosocial support.
- HK$500: Provide educational materials, including stationery, exercise books, school bags and water bottles for 8 children in the refugee camp to help them receive education, rewrite their future.
- HK$1,000: Provide educational materials, including stationery, exercise books, school bags and water bottles for 16 children in the refugee camp to help them receive education, rewrite their future.
- HK$2,000: Provide teaching materials and sanitary facilities for 5 child-friendly spaces, and provide educational materials, including stationery, exercise books, school bags and water bottles for 20 children in the refugee camp , enabling refugee children to receive learning support and to play, learn, and access psychosocial support in a safe environment.
- HK$3,000: Provide basic training and assessment for 55 volunteer teachers in the refugee camp, covering subject knowledge, teaching methods, classroom management, and child safeguarding guidelines, to ensure the safety of children and the quality of educational activities.
- HK$5,000: Provide teaching materials and sanitary facilities for 10 child-friendly spaces, and provide educational materials, including stationery, exercise books, school bags and water bottles for 56 children in the refugee camp, enabling refugee children to receive learning support and to play, learn, and access psychosocial support in a safe environment
To provide long-term support for girls, we invite you to become a monthly donor to Plan International’s ‘Girls Fund’ or ‘Sponsor A Girl.’ Your ongoing contributions will help girls in Bangladesh and other developing countries break free from the threats of human trafficking, child marriage, period poverty, female genital mutilation, and other forms of exploitation, empowering them to live independent lives.
