Help Rohingya Refugees Survive
Over 80% of the refugees in Cox's Bazar rely on WFP to survive, and we rely on you to make it possible.
Since violence first erupted in Myanmar in 2016, the Rohingya exodus to Bangladesh has become one of the most acute emergencies for the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). The refugee camp at Cox’s Bazar is the largest in the world, requiring millions of dollars to sustain.
Stateless, and with nearly no way to provide for themselves, the Rohingya are the most vulnerable of the vulnerable. With COVID-19 now confirmed in the camp, we need your help to protect them.
The Evolution of the Crisis
August 2020
August marks a grim anniversary: Three years since the Rohingya were first forced from their homes in Myanmar. Today they are more vulnerable than ever, facing crises within crises. This year's monsoon season wrecked the makeshift homes of 9,000 families, food prices are even higher, and supply chain disruptions have made the availability of food less reliable.
Photo: WFP/Mehedi Rahman
May 2020
In May, Cyclone Amphan tore through Bangladesh and its already vulnerable Rohingya refugee camps. 10 million people were affected across the country, and half a million families lost their homes - straining an already stretched government. The cyclone lashed coastal areas with brutal winds and rain, leaving at least 84 people dead in Bangladesh and India.
Photo: WFP/Gemma Snowdon
April 2020
As of April 22nd, there were nearly 3,400 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Bangladesh. The camps at Cox's Bazar are among the largest and most overcrowded in the world: families are crowded together and there is nearly no health care. WFP has rolled out prevention measures at its food distribution points to curb the spread.
Photo: WFP/Gemma Snowdon
July 2019
This year's monsoon season strikes, bringing 28 inches of rain in just 10 days. The deluge causes flooding and landslides and wipes away many of the Rohingya's makeshift shelters. WFP works tirelessly throughout the year to prepare the camp, but still, with such shaky infrastructure, staff must relocate families, provide emergency food and repair the damage.
Photo: WFP/Gemma Snowdon
December 2018
More than a year after the crisis began, hundreds of thousands of Rohingya are still unable to return to their homes in Myanmar. Hundreds more arrive every week.
Photo: WFP Middle East Twitter
May 2018
Monsoon season begins, bringing torrential rain and the constant threat of landslides and flooding.
Photo: WFP
February 2018
Preparations to fortify the camp begin in anticipation of the annual monsoon season, which threatens the camp's fragile infrastructure.
Photo: WFP/Saikat Mojumder
January 2018
WFP launches its e-card program, giving Rohingya refugees the ability to buy fresh produce, protein, and grains.
December 2017
The Kutupalong camp in Cox's Bazar becomes the largest refugee camp in the world, host to more than 900,000 Rohingya refugees.
Photo: WFP/Saikat Mojumder
October 2017
Tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees get stuck in no man's land at the border of Bangladesh and Myanmar.
August 2017
The exodus of the Rohingya begins as they flee violence in Western Myanmar.
In a refugee camp the size of San Francisco…
- 860,000 Rohingya refugees rely on us every month for food
- 21,600 children, pregnant women and breastfeeding moms receive treatment for malnutrition
Help Us Meet the Challenge
We use smart, innovative solutions to feed this many people, including food vouchers, high-energy biscuits, engineering and drones.
Food Vouchers
Most camp residents get food aid in the form of a voucher, which they redeem at outlets that function like grocery stores, providing rice, lentils, oil, eggs, spices and vegetables. It’s a significant step toward restoring their health and their dignity.
HEBs
High energy biscuits are easy to distribute and improve nutrition among families without access to water or cooking supplies. They are fortified with 15 essential vitamins and contain 450 calories, offering a quick meal in emergencies.
Engineering
An engineering project between WFP, IOM and UNHCR has helped build safer, new land for refugees living in precarious areas of the camp. Infrastructure is critical for those who are at heightened risk of landslides and flooding.
Drones
Unmanned aerial vehicles like drones help WFP map humanitarian needs across the makeshift refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, even during cloudy weather. Their photos provide immediate, raw visuals and a data source for operational analysis.
The vast majority of the refugees living in the Cox’s Bazar camp are women and children. The camp is plagued by poor water, unsanitary conditions, and limited access to health services and food. Here, Tracy Dube, a WFP nutritionist in the camp, describes the challenges that pregnant mothers, new moms and young children face in this pop-up city.
