Save the Children's AHP response in Bangladesh

Save the Children's $3 million Australian Humanitarian Partnership (AHP) funded response began in October 2017, providing immediate life-saving aid to Rohingya populations across nine settlement sites within Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. As many as 688,500 Rohingya people - 55 per cent children - have fled their homes since August 2017, making the journey across the border in to Bangladesh to escape the escalation of violence in Northern Rakhine State, Myanmar. Save the Children is working alongside the Government of Bangladesh to safeguard and protect the rights of children and their families affected by this crisis. AHP funding has helped deliver immediate life-saving humanitarian assistance to 300,000 Rohingya people in Cox’s Bazaar and supported the wider response, including:

Photo caption: Morium* preparing lunch for her family with the aid she received from Save the Children. Photo credit: Save the Children. Date: January 2018.

Photo caption: Morium* preparing lunch for her family with the aid she received from Save the Children. Photo credit: Save the Children. Date: January 2018.

Photo caption: Contents of Save the Children's cooking kits. Photo credit: Save the Children. Date: January 2018.

Photo caption: Contents of Save the Children's cooking kits. Photo credit: Save the Children. Date: January 2018.

  • the distribution of basic hygiene items including soap, nappies and buckets,

  • food distributions, and basic kitchen utensils for cooking,

  • tarpaulins for shelter, protection and dignity,

  • access to psycho-social support and psychological first aid to rehabilitate and strengthen the resilience of parents, children and caregivers,

  • 13 child friendly spaces for approximately 3,500 children have already been established, allowing children to find a sense of routine. These spaces also reduce their risk of child trafficking, abuse, violence and labour,

  • improved WASH processes and practices have been implemented in targeted communities including facilitating health, hygiene and sanitation awareness workshops

  • 230 emergency latrines and 105 bathing facilities and hand washing stations have been constructed,

  • 881 unaccompanied and separated children have been identified through family tracing and reunification services,

  • Save the Children's Emergency Health Unit is on the ground in the overcrowded settlements, helping to prevent the spread of disease outbreaks, and

  • nine health and nutrition teams have been dispatched in Cox’s Bazar district to provide breastfeeding support for women, treatment for infant malnutrition, primary healthcare, and psycho social support to mothers.

In 2017, Save the Children received $3 million through the AHP for their Bangladesh-Myanmar humanitarian crisis response. The length of this response is October 2017 until September 2018. 

Date of the article: February 2018