Our diary book

May 12, 2014

Rohingya Refugee Children - By Tatiana Marra — Rohingya refugee children – By Tatiana Marra

In the morning at 8:00 am we depart to the refugee camps located 300 km south-east of Cox’s Bazar and 7 km from the border with Burma (Myanmar). There we meet some Rohingya refugees, an ethnic, linguistic and religious minority from Myanmar. The systematic and continuous persecution, for more than fifty years, leads Rohingya people to seek refuge in Bangladesh.

Nayapara Refugee Camp_in the background the mountains of Myanmar - By Michela Trombini — Nayapara Refugee Camp with the mountains of Myanmar in the background – By Michela Trombini

In 1991, the Burmese government launched the persecution campaign Operation Pyi Thaya (or Operation Clean and Beautiful Nation), which led more than 250,000 Rohingya to move to Bangladesh and the Bangladeshi government to request assistance from UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency.

UNHCR Sub Office Coxs Bazar - By UNHCR — UNHCR sub-office at Cox’s Bazar – By UNHCR

Today, UNHCR has a head office in the capital Dhaka and its operational headquarters in Cox’s Bazar, and it’s daily in the refugee camps.

First stop: Kutupalong hosts 12,568 refugees registered and approved. We are greeted by the officer appointed by the government to be in charge of the camp, who reports directly to the Ministry of Disaster Management for Relief (MDMR), and he details the life and statistics in the field.

The general food distribution area Kutupalong Refugee Camp - By Tatiana Marra — The general food distribution area Kutupalong Refugee Camp – By Tatiana Marra

We visit the general food distribution where refugees have access to collect the ration of food that provides the necessary nutrient supply.

We access the community technology area in which the children are taught how to use personal computers, thanks to donations from the IKEA Foundation of photovoltaic panels and computers.

The Community Technology Access Kutupalong Refugee Camp - by UNHCR — The Community Technology Access, Kutupalong Refugee Camp – by UNHCR

We enter the library, where refugees can constantly stay up to date thanks to newspapers and books offered by the British Council. After this, we went to the vocational area where some boys welcomed us with a musical moment.

Vocational Area Kutupalong Refugee Camp - by UNHCR — Vocational area, Kutupalong Refugee Camp – by UNHCR

The must joyful and exciting moment was reserved for Long Beach Primary School: Each class has a dedicated welcome in relation to their education. We gave each child a little thought with pleasure and found that the classrooms are supported with Sunnan solar lamps donated by the IKEA Foundation in 2012.

IKEA Sunnan Solar Lamp Kutupalong Refugee Camp - byTatiana Marra — IKEA Sunnan Solar Lamp, Kutupalong Refugee Camp – by Tatiana Marra

Long Beach Primary School Kutupalong Refugee Camp_Gaitrie Ammersing - by UNHCR — Long Beach Primary School, Kutupalong Refugee Camp – Gaitrie Ammersing – by UNHCR

Then we meet representatives of the Rohingyan refugees: men, women, youth and children express requests, proposals, hopes and dreams.

Representatives Rohingya Refugee Kutupalong Refugee Camp - by Michela Trombini — Representatives of Rohingya refugees, Kutupalong Refugee Camp – by Michela Trombini

In the women’s centre, women can learn how to cut and sew textiles, thanks to the donation of sewing machines by Uniqlo, a Japanese clothing company.

Womens Center Kutupalong Refugee Camp - By Michela Trombini — Women’s center, vocational training, Kutupalong Refugee Camp – By Michela Trombini

In the next block people are engaged in crafts of carpentry, tailoring, electrical repairs, and the production of toothpaste.

Production of toothpaste Womens Center Kutupalong Refugee Camp - By Michela Trombini — Production of toothpaste, Women’s Centre, Kutupalong Refugee Camp – By Michela Trombini

The vocational training opportunities, that are given to children over 15 years, helps to skill the refugees to produce basic necessities in the camp.

Working in Kutupalong Refugee Camp - By Tatiana Marra — Vocational training: Learning how to sew in Kutupalong Refugee Camp – By Tatiana Marra

Refugees learning vopcational skills in Kutupalong Refugee Camp - By Tatiana Marra — Vocational training: Refugees learning skills in Kutupalong Refugee Camp – By Tatiana Marra

The camp preserves the culture of this ethnic group, thanks to the Myanmar Language Lab, where children learn phonics and writing in their mother tongue.

Myanmar Language Lab Kutupalong Refugee Camp - ByTatiana Marra — Myanmar Language Lab, Kutupalong Refugee Camp – ByTatiana Marra

On the streets of the camp hovers the enthusiasm of an enterprising population that builds on the opportunities of international donations.

Present and future - By Michela Trombini — Present and future – By Michela Trombini

Children on the road Kutupalong Refugee Camp - By Michela Trombini — Children on the road, Kutupalong Refugee Camp – By Michela Trombini

Second stop: on the way to the other camp we stop at Kutupalong High School, where we see a banner saying “Solar Lamp Distribution Ceremony”.

IWitnesses in the Kutupalong High School - By UNHCR — IWitnesses in the Kutupalong High School – By UNHCR

Third stop: Nayapara Refugee Camp hosts 18,475 registered and approved refugees.

Here, too, we are welcomed by the Camp-in-Charge, who presents the situation in his refugee camp. We visit the primary health care centre, managed by the Ministry of Health, which gives care and first-aid assistance to all refugees.

Primary Health Care Nayapara Refugee Camp - By Salvatore Ruvutuso — Primary Health Care, Nayapara Refugee Camp – By Salvatore Ruvutuso

The school gives us the opportunity to sit in the classroom and to share little moments of teaching.

Primary School Nayapara Refugee Camp - By Tatiana Marra — Primary School, Nayapara Refugee Camp – By Tatiana Marra

We are invited into the homes of refugees: a spirit of openness and acceptance. Their homes are completely dark even in the daytime. The distribution programme of lamps from UNHCR and the IKEA Foundation will ensure every child can learn, the right of every person. Their kitchens are powered by biogas supplied through a project of the IKEA Foundation.

IKEA Sunnan Solar Lamp in refugees home Nayapara Refugee Camp - ByTatiana Marra — IKEA Sunnan Solar Lamp in refugees’ home, Nayapara Refugee Camp – ByTatiana Marra

The water supply is through the collection of rain water treated through the sedimentation basins, then subsequent treatment and water purification. It is distributed through public fountains. The future of this situation is the construction of a dam already in place to create a reservoir and subsequent transfer mechanism with hydraulic water purification plant.

IWitness exploring Water Plantation Nayapara Refugee Camp - By Fartheen Khan — IWitness exploring Water Plant, Nayapara Refugee Camp – By Fartheen Khan

Building a new dam near Nayapara Refugee Camp - ByTatiana Marra — Building a new dam near Nayapara Refugee Camp – By Tatiana Marra

Area of new dam near Nayapara Refugee Camp - By Michela Trombini — Area of new dam near Nayapara Refugee Camp – By Michela Trombini

Leaving this area is difficult. We met people who have touched the heart. The last call through the car window is the demand from a kid: “Do not forget us.”

The unregistered Rohingya refugees, scattered in the countryside in the south of Bangladesh, are between 300,000 and 500,000. For them, rights are not yet guaranteed.

Myanmar Language Lab Kutupalong Refugee Camp - By Michela Trombini — Myanmar Language Lab Kutupalong Refugee Camp – By Michela Trombini

Children in the camp Nayapara Refugee Camp - By Michela Trombi — Children in the camp Nayapara Refugee Camp – By Michela Trombini

Children near the dam Nayapara Refugee Camp - By Tatiana Marra — Children near the dam Nayapara Refugee Camp – By Tatiana Marra

Children in the camp Nayapara Refugee Camp - By Michela Trombini — Children in the camp Nayapara Refugee Camp – By Michela Trombini

Life situation Bangladesh - By Michela Trombini — Bangladesh – By Michela Trombini

Ciao da Michela, Tatiana, Salvatore

Bangladesh - Nayapara Refugee Camp - By Tatiana Marra — Bangladesh – Nayapara Refugee Camp – By Tatiana Marra

Written by

Tatiana Marra