Women Present Their Commitment to Home Gardening

October 21, 2022

• Washing and drying of coco peat (soil conditioner) ©IVY
• Guest soil to camp ©IVY
• Women present the results of their vegetable gardening efforts at the Harvest Festival event ©IVY

IVY, a JPF member NGO that provides assistance to displaced Myanmar people in Bangladesh through agricultural technical guidance, distributed for the second time home garden kits (cell trays, coco peat, compost, cages, and plastic) and five types of seeds to 900 households. In addition, on September 8, a presentation of the women's home garden efforts and a harvest festival were held. The presence of women actively working and presenting their activities stimulated the beneficiaries who did not get much harvest in the first phase of cultivation, and motivated them to prepare for the second phase of vegetable gardens.

Distribution of agricultural tools and seeds, etc., and installation of shelves

June 30, 2022

• Meeting and Training with Well Users Association ©IVY
• Practice of hanging garden ©IVY
• Response to the weeping wilt disease ©IVY
• Distribution of seedlings ©IVY

Distribution of seedlings that needed to be replaced due to disease or lack of sunlight and water and arrangements for seeds were made on a regular basis. Seeds and cages for leafy vegetables were distributed from households that had ready soil and planting sites for direct seeding and hanging gardens.

Reopening of "Learning Centers" in Five Camps for Myanmar Displaced Persons

May 23, 2022

• PLAN resumed educational support at the Learning Center on April 24, 2012 ©PLAN

Plan International (PLAN), a JPF-affiliated NGO providing educational support for youth and children in displaced persons camps in Cox's Bazar District, Bangladesh, reopened "Learning Centers" at all five camps it supports on April 24, replacing the home-based educational support it had been providing. PLAN also increased the number of lessons from twice a week to three times a week.

Renovation of water supply facilities and toilets in Myanmar displaced persons camps

May 23, 2022

• Repaired latrine Abul Bashar ©Save the Children
• Repaired water supply facilities Deluar Hossain ©Save the Children

Save the Children Japan (SCJ), a JPF member NGO working to improve water, sanitation, and living conditions in displaced persons camps in Cox's Bazar District, Bangladesh, has rehabilitated and maintained deep wells in three camps and water supply facilities in two camps to provide safe water for 13,550 people. SCJ has rehabilitated and maintained deep wells in three camps and water supply facilities in two camps, ensuring access to safe water for 13,550 people. SCJ also repaired latrines and bathing facilities in four camps, ensuring access to sanitary latrines for 16,673 people and safe bathing facilities for 4,350 people.

JISP Provides Medical Services in Displaced Persons Camps

20th April 2022

The Japan International Support Program (JISP), a JPF member NGO providing health and medical assistance to displaced people and residents from Myanmar in Cox's Bazar District, Bangladesh, provided health post medical services to a total of 1,543 displaced people (general outpatients and pregnant and nursing women) in March, the last month of its activities. In addition, health volunteers went door-to-door to 332 households, treating 1,471 displaced persons. Due to the particularly high prevalence of skin diseases in the camps, intensive attention was given to skin diseases such as scabies and eczema.

IVY to Teach Agricultural Technology to Displaced People from Myanmar

22nd March 2022

IVY, a JPF member NGO, is supporting capacity building of displaced people in Teknaf District, Cox's Bazar District, Bangladesh, through agricultural technical guidance with the aim of strengthening their self-recovery capacity and enabling them to lead sustainable and self-reliant lives in the areas where they have been displaced or will return in the future. The agricultural technology training held in February, with staff from the Agricultural Extension Bureau as lecturers, covered (1) identifying where and how to plant, (2) cultivation methods for different types of vegetables, (3) soil preparation, (4) daily care, (5) fertilizer and homemade compost, (6) pest and disease control, (7) harvest and storage, (8) seed collection and storage, (9) seasonal risks and countermeasures for climate change and natural disasters, (10) recording methods.

Health Education in Displaced People's Camps by PWJ

14rh February 2022

Peace Winds Japan (PWJ), a JPF member NGO, provides basic medical services and health education to Myanmar refugees and host communities in Cox's Bazar District, Bangladesh.

Health education was conducted on the topics of NCDs and dengue fever in response to the lack of understanding of Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and awareness of lifestyle modification for prevention in the camps and the increasing number of dengue fever patients in the camps. Participants commented, "I had many questions about my disease (NCDs), but now I know the answers to the questions I had," and "Although I may not get cured (because it is a chronic disease), I now know what to keep in mind in my daily life.

Improve Water Sanitation and Living Environment

18th January 2022

• Hygiene session ©Abu Vuiya, Hygiene Promoter Volunteer/Save the Children

Save the Children Japan (SCJ), a JPF member NGO, is working to improve water, sanitation, and living conditions so that Myanmar displaced persons in Bangladesh can lead safe lives. In the Myanmar refugee camps in Cox's Bazar District, water supply facilities and bathing areas are being repaired, residential shelters are being built, and sessions are being held to teach proper hygiene habits.

Health and Medical Support for Myanmar Refugees

21st December 2021

• ©JISP

Japan International Support Program (JISP), a JPF member NGO, is working with the Health Management BD Foundation (HMBD), a local NGO, to provide health and medical assistance to Myanmar refugees and host community residents in Bangladesh. Local staff are also active in the health posts that have been set up.

Emergency Response for People Fleeing Myanmar Response plan

5th November 2021

JPF has updated its response plan for the Emergency Response for People Fleeing Myanmar. You can check the goals of the support activities and sectoral plans.

The response plan can be read here.

Improving Water Sanitation and Living Environment

4th October 2021

Save the Children Japan (SCJ), a JPF member NGO, has started a project to improve the water and sanitation environment in the refugee camps in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, where Myanmar's displaced people live. SCJ is also working on reinforcing and repairing houses so that they can withstand frequent natural disasters.

Click here for SCJ's report

Introducing the activities of member NGOs and voices from the field

24th September 2021

• Literacy classes ©PLAN

JPF member NGOs, in cooperation with local organizations, are continuing to provide support in the camps for displaced people from Myanmar and in the host communities, including awareness-raising on infection prevention, health care and water sanitation, protection of women and children, education, and distribution of shelter kits. We have also updated the "Activities and Voices from the Field" tab on this program page, so please take a look.

Establishment of health posts for displaced people in Myanmar

13th August 2021

• ©JISP

Japan International Support Program (JISP), a JPF member NGO, is collaborating with a local NGO run by a Bangladeshi doctor to provide health and medical support in Kutupalong Camp, said to be the largest of its kind in the world, and its surrounding communities.

Click here for the JISP report

The story of Janatara, a displaced Myanmar woman who took a step toward the future

31st July 2021 8:00

It has been almost four years since the world's largest humanitarian crisis occurred in August 2017, when many displaced people from Myanmar fled to neighboring Bangladesh in a military sweep. The coup d'etat in Myanmar in February this year has made the possibility of the displaced people's return to Myanmar even more uncertain. The displaced youths are not allowed to go out of the camps and are just waiting for the time to pass in the camps.

In the midst of this situation, the story of Janatara, who took a step towards the future by participating in the reading and writing classes offered by PLAN as part of the JPF program, is introduced on the PLAN website.

Read Janatara's story here
https://www.plan-international.jp/activity/report/20210714_8282/

PWJ to provide medical assistance in refugee camps

30th June 2021 17:18

Peace Winds Japan (PWJ), a JPF member NGO, is operating a clinic in a camp for displaced people form Myanmar in Bangladesh.

Since the camp had limited medical facilities for a large number of residents, PWJ worked to improve the access and quality of basic medical services. They also conducted awareness-raising activities to protect the health of mothers and children through much-needed medical checkups for expectant mothers and active use of delivery facilities during childbirth.

Click here to read the PWJ article
https://peace-winds.org/activity/bangladesh/19888

PLAN to provide educational support to youth

23rd May 2021 12:00

PLAN International Japan (PLAN), a JPF member NGO, is conducting an education support project for displaced people in Myanmar and youth in host communities in Bangladesh.

PLAN helps young people in the camps to learn how to read, write and calculate in a safe environment. In the host communities, PLAN provides a safe learning environment for the children, including training for teachers on child protection.

In the camp, extracurricular activities such as making sanitary napkins and community cleaning were also conducted.

Extracurricular activities are planned and carried out by the youth. By doing so, they aim to hone their communication and leadership skills while creating opportunities to contribute to their own communities.

The program is also designed to help create a safe place for young people of the same age group to gather and spend time together, as there are limited places where they can feel safe in the camp.

SCJ Supporting Health Service Delivery

April 25 2021, 18:00

• The repaired consultation room ©Ayesha Sharmin, Medical Assistant/Save the Children
• Repaired waiting room for medical examination ©Ayesha Sharmin, Medical Assistant/Save the Children

Last month, Save the Children Japan (SCJ), a JPF member NGO, completed a project to provide health services to displaced people from Myanmar in Cox's Bazar district, Bangladesh, which was implemented as a JPF program.

In the camps, SCJ provided comprehensive support to enable residents to access quality primary health care, including psychosocial support, nutritional support, and sexual and reproductive health support.

Psychosocial support included self-care and stress management sessions, while nutritional support included the distribution of high-nutrient foods to children in need and nutritional guidance to their caregivers.

In addition, emergency shelter kits, including bamboo materials and tarpaulins, were distributed to households affected by the fire that broke out in the refugee camp in March.

IVY Constructing Hand Washing and Bathing Facilities

23rd March 2021 6:00

• Hand-washing station ©IVY
• Bathing facility ©IVY

JPF member NGO IVY has been working on a WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) improvement project in a refugee camp in Bangladesh for people who have fled Myanmar.

In the refugee camp for people from Myanmar, WASH facilities such as toilets and bathing areas are shared by multiple households. Since this makes it easy for infectious diseases to spread among the residents, improvements are needed on the WASH environment.

Through IVY's project, a construction team consisting mainly of refugee volunteers built 21 bathing areas and 30 hand-washing stations. At one such hand-washing station near a mosque before prayers, children as well as fathers on their way home from work were seen washing their hands and faces comfortably.

Read IVY’s post here.

PLAN’s Assistance for Refugee Youths from Myanmar and Host Community Youths

24th February 2021 18:00

• ©PLAN

As a part of the JPF program, JPF member NGO Plan International Japan (PLAN) is implementing an assistance project in Cox's Bazar District, Bangladesh, to provide educational support to the youths among the refugees from Myanmar as well as their counterparts in the host communities.

About half of the total number of refugees from Myanmar are children and young people. While access to education is gradually improving for children 14 years old and younger, 80% of young people between ages 15 and 24 have no access to education and are not allowed to work outside their resettlement areas. These young people are forced to live an unstable life with an uncertain future, and are at high risk of abuse, early marriage, child labor, and human trafficking. They need educational support to prepare them for the future.

PLAN provides educational assistance in reading, writing, and mathematics for illiterate young people who had limited opportunities to attend school prior to their arrival in Bangladesh. Additionally, since the host communities adjacent to the refugee camps are also facing problems of poverty and low school attendance, PLAN is also providing support to create a safe learning environment for children and young people in the host communities as well. They train teachers in the host community schools on protecting children from child labor and early marriage.

AAR’s Assistance in the Host Community

29th January 2021 20:00

• ©AAR
• ©AAR

As part of the JPF program, JPF member NGO Association for Aid and Relief, Japan (AAR), has been implementing projects in protection of women and children who have fled Myanmar and in the improvement of WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) environment in the host community.

In addition to assistance provided in the refugee camps, AAR is also supporting the host communities to improve their WASH environment. The host communities, which were originally impoverished before the refugees arrived, have been affected by the influx of displaced persons and are in need of assistance. WASH facilities have especially lacked maintenance, including unsanitary toilets and drains clogged by mud, so AAR is repairing these facilities.

In addition to the facilities, outdoor defecation habits among children have also had a negative impact on sanitation, and AAR has conducted sanitation and hygiene awareness and menstrual hygiene workshops for teachers. AAR conducts these workshops on food safety, public sanitation, and menstrual hygiene so that teachers can acquire proper knowledge and practices and teach them to their students on a daily basis.

SCJ Providing Health Services

23rd December 2020 20:00

• ©Hitendra Nath Roy, PSS Officer, CAMP-20, HP

As part of the JPF program, JPF member NGO Save the Children Japan (SCJ) is implementing a project to provide comprehensive health services to displaced persons who have fled Myanmar and are living in Cox's Bazar District, Bangladesh.

With no prospect of the refugees returning to their homes, there is a continuous need for health services in the camps due to malnutrition among children, unplanned pregnancy among women, and psychological harm caused by prolonged displacement.

SCJ supports the improvement of health among the displaced people through the provision of health services, nutritional support, and psychosocial support. The photo shows SCJ providing training to health service staff so that they can also provide appropriate care for the refugees who need mental health and psychosocial support.

AAR's Assistance for Women and Children Who Have Fled Myanmar

20th November 2020 7:00

• Participants making masks as part of work therapy in a women friendly space ©AAR

As part of the JPF program, JPF member NGO Association for Aid and Relief, Japan (AAR), has been implementing projects in protection of women and children who have fled Myanmar and in the improvement of WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) environment in the host community.

Many refugee girls and women have not only been exposed to heinous sexual violence in Myanmar but have also faced the risk of gender-based violence (GBV) after arriving in Bangladesh. In order to provide these women and children safe spaces to spend time during the day within the refugee camp, AAR is operating a women friendly space (WFS) and a child friendly space (CFS). These facilities offer courses on risks associated with human trafficking, drug abuse, and domestic violence, as well as recreational activities for stress care and psychosocial support by psychological counselors.

Monitoring Workshop: Is the assistance really benefiting the beneficiaries?

28th October 2020

• ©JPF
• ©JPF

Japan Platform (JPF) aims to ensure that its activities are truly benefiting the beneficiaries, and we use the results from our program evaluations to improve the quality of our next program. We held a monitoring workshop last month to monitor five projects that have been implemented by different JPF member organizations since March of this year as part of JPF's Emergency Response for People Fleeing Myanmar.

Initially, we had planned to conduct monitoring through on-site visits, but due to the impact of the new coronavirus pandemic, it became difficult to travel to Bangladesh where the people have fled from Myanmar. Instead, this monitoring workshop was conducted using the After Action Review (AAR) approach, which is one of the monitoring and evaluation methods, and with the following objectives. Based on the reports from each member organization, our objectives were to identify issues that we should address in order to achieve the project goals, make proposals for the implementation of activities in the second half of the project term, revise the trajectory towards meeting project goals more fully, and to share lessons learned among the member organizations.

The projects to be monitored included those implemented by five JPF member organizations in the areas of healthcare, WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene), education, and protection from gender-based violence for displaced persons who have fled Myanmar and the host communities in Cox's Bazar District, Bangladesh.

Some participants took part in the workshop online as part of infection prevention against COVID-19. The workshop began with an overview and update on the situations among those who have fled Myanmar as shared by Associate Professor Kusakabe of Rikkyo University. Next, each organization introduced the progress of their current project, the challenges they face, and what is going well. In this part of the workshop, organizations shared the impact of the pandemic on their projects. Some of the issues raised included delays in projects due to restrictions on local activities and movement as well as the inability to monitor projects on site making it difficult to understand the detailed needs of the beneficiaries directly. As an example of a successful response to the pandemic, an organization mentioned that refugee volunteers were contributing to the implementation of the project given the restrictions on access to the project area from the outside.

Participants were then divided into groups for AAR work. Good practices and challenges were shared on topics such as coordination and remote management. At the end of the meeting, each group presented their action plan for the second half of the project. Among the action plans were online trainings for local staff to strengthen their capacity and specific ways to pick up the voices of beneficiaries.

JPF will continue to work with our member organizations to ensure that our support is truly benefiting the intended beneficiaries, and we will improve our programs to better meet the needs of the people.

WVJ’s Project on Protection from Gender-Based Violence and Awareness-Raising Sessions

27th September 2020 14:00

JPF member NGO World Vision Japan (WVJ) is implementing a project to protect residents from gender-based violence (GBV) and to strengthen community resilience in the refugee settlement in Bangladesh.

There have been many reports of gender-based violence and abuse at the refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, even as emergency humanitarian relief and Bangladeshi government support have been delivered there. GBV has indeed become a major challenge in the refugee camp.

In August, WVJ held 16 awareness-raising sessions on GBV. Sessions were held for both women's and men's groups on the topics of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and illicit drugs. More than 380 women participated in the session, and participants commented that they were able to learn what forms of violence IPV may take. A GBV volunteer, who was appointed from among the displaced persons, led the session and noted, "Many women have experienced IPV, and the awareness-raising session provided a place for the women to share their experiences and discuss how to prevent it." Nearly 130 men attended the sessions as well, and many remarked that they had a better understanding now about the relationship between IPV and alcohol consumption, about IPV and its impact on children, especially girls, and about the relationship between IPV and child marriages and early marriages.

*At JPF, we are using the term “people fleeing Myanmar” instead of “Rohingya” to be considerate to the ethnic backgrounds and diversity among those who have fled Myanmar.

Is the Assistance Really Helping the Beneficiaries? Evaluation committee workshop held

31st August 2020 14:00

• ©JPF
• ©JPF

Japan Platform (JPF) aims to ensure that our activities are truly helping the beneficiaries and to use evaluation and assessment results to improve the quality of our future projects.

In June, an evaluation committee workshop was held regarding our ongoing Emergency Response for People Fleeing Myanmar. Since COVID-19 prevents us from traveling and to directly confirm completed projects in this response program, this evaluation has been based on desktop reviews. In this workshop, experts, member NGOs, and development consultancies shared the evaluation results from their desktop reviews to date, and discussed lessons learned for more effective project planning and operations in the future through group work and other means.

This was the first ever workshop offered online as a preventive measure against the new coronavirus, and more than 90% of the attendants participated online. In group work, participants were divided into groups and exchanged opinions on topics such as best practices for interactions with the local government and host communities, considerations for the cultures and customs of the beneficiaries, and the implementation of projects in the health sector. For each topic, the participants exchanged lessons learned from implementing projects in their groups.

Participants commented that the workshop was a valuable opportunity to hear the opinions of other NGOs and experts, but we also identified issues that need to be addressed in order to make the workshop more useful in improving our future projects. We will continue to make improvements to ensure that the assistance we provide is truly helpful to the beneficiaries and that our programs are attuned to the needs of the people.

Online Symposium on Saturday 22 August!

22nd July 2020 23:30

It has been almost three years since the mass influx of people into neighboring Bangladesh began as people fled violent armed repression in Myanmar. The total number of people who have fled is now at one million, and they are living in overcrowded refugee camps with no prospect of returning home. On top of everything, they are now facing a major crisis with the spread of the new coronavirus.

JPF member NGO Association for Aid and Relief, Japan (AAR) has been providing humanitarian assistance in the region since 2017. In this online symposium, AAR will discuss the current situation of the refugee camps, AAR's assistance activities, impact of the spread of COVID-19, investigation of truth in the international courts, position of Japanese diplomacy, and other issues ranging from the field of humanitarian assistance to the trends in the international community, looking at the here and now of the refugees from various angles while urging us to think about what we can do to help the refugees. We hope many of you can join us!

For details and registration for this event, please see below:
Event: "One Million Rohingya Refugees Now: 3 Years since the mass influx and AAR’s initiatives”
Date: Saturday 22 August
https://peatix.com/event/1558710/view

For Managing WASH Facilities

28th June 2020 6:00

As a JPF grant project, JPF member NGO IVY has been working on training a WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) facility repair team in the refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, for the people who have fled Myanmar.

Due to the spread of COVID-19, humanitarian assistance projects have been restricted in many countries, and in Cox’s Bazar, IVY has continued its project through their local staff. IVY began the training for residents using tools so that they can manage and repair the shared WASH facilities themselves. In the training, the residents are also learning about COVID-19 prevention measures such as disinfecting WASH facilities regularly and wearing personal protective equipment. These trainings are conducted with staff being very careful about infection prevention themselves.

Please read more on IVY’s Facebook post here: https://bit.ly/2YpEyKa

Women’s Bathing Facility Completed!

26th May 2020 7:00

• ©IVY
• ©IVY

JPF member NGO IVY has ben working on a WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) improvement project in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, for the people who have fled Myanmar, constructing a human-waste treatment facility and a women’s bathing facility there.

There is limited land on the refugee camp housing those who have fled Myanmar, and there were not enough public bathing facilities there. Consequently, women were forced to wash their bodies and their hair in the home. IVY created a bathing facility for the women that around 20 women could use communally. Being able to keep their bodies clean would help the women feel refreshed mentally as well.

At the refugee camp, many aid organizations are implementing infection prevention programs in light of the spread of COVID-19. IVY has also visited the women, who use the bathing facility that they set up, at their homes, and talked about handwashing and other preventative measures with them.

Please see here for more details: https://bit.ly/2TAjiyN

Emergency Response to People Fleeing Myanmar: Preventing COVID-19 in refugee camps

7th April 2020 23:30

• ©PLAN
• ©PLAN
• ©PLAN

JPF member NGO Plan International Japan (PLAN) has been implementing an educational assistance project for people who have fled Myanmar and for the local residents in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, schools in the country have been closed since the 16th of last month to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus (COVID-19). PLAN’s educational facility within the refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar had also had to close. Currently, all the activities within the refugee camp have had to stop except for basic essential assistance services (such as food distribution and healthcare).

Before the learning facility had to close, PLAN had conducted a COVID-19 prevention training there for the facilitators and volunteer leaders who had been working with PLAN in the refugee camp. They, in turn, will tell other residents in their respective communities about the prevention measures that they learned in the training. As people live in close quarters in refugee camps and the healthcare system is already weak, there is grave concern for another humanitarian crisis if COVID-19 spreads within the camps.

Please visit PLAN’s Facebook post here for more details: https://bit.ly/3dYt8Tv

JPF member NGO IVY’s pre-implementation staff orientation

23rd March 2020 20:00

• ©IVY
• ©IVY
• ©IVY

As a JPF grant project, JPF member NGO IVY has been working on a WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) improvement project in a refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, for the people who have fled Myanmar. IVY’s project involves the construction of a human-waste treatment facility and a women’s bathing facility.

Ahead of the project’s start this month, IVY and the local partner organization held a staff orientation. They shared the objectives of the project, engaged in team-building activities, and created an implementation plan for each activity. Also, the orientation covered gender perspectives, which are deeply related to the activities targeting women in the refugee camp. It proved to be a vital orientation to help the staff prepare for this assistance project together as a team.

Visit IVY’s Facebook page to find out more: https://www.facebook.com/npoivy/

AAR Field Report

25th February 2020 17:00

JPF member NGO Association for Aid and Relief, Japan (AAR) has been working to improve WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) and children’s and women’s protection in Bangladesh for the people who have fled Myanmar. In the journal entries of AAR’s Japanese staff working in Bangladesh, you can read about how people are living in Cox’s Bazar, both in the refugee camp in Ukhia Upazila and in the host communities in the city outside the camp.

Please visit the AAR website here to read staff journal entries: https://bit.ly/2vRw7vo

Emergency Response for People Fleeing Myanmar: Sports events held at JPF member NGO AAR’s child friendly space

27th January 2020 17:35

• ©AAR Japan

As a JPF grant project, JPF member NGO Association for Aid and Relief, Japan (AAR Japan) has been working in Bangladesh for the people who have fled Myanmar* through improving the hygienic environment through building toilets and wells and setting up facilities for the protection of women and children.

The child friendly space (CFS) that AAR Japan established welcome children between the ages of 5 and 18, and offers them basic education classes in Burmese, English, mathematics, music, and art, as well as activities to prevent children’s victimization from human trafficking and illicit drug-related crimes. As a facility serving these functions, CFS also hosts sports events! At this time, around 200 children gathered together for the sports event, and they sang songs vibrantly and played with balls. Sports events have been held at a pace of about twice a month.

In the homelands of these children, if they belong to the Muslim minority group, their families tend to struggle economically as farmers or day-laborers. Consequently, only about a few percent of their children get to complete primary education, which is a very low figure. This is all the more reason why many of the children coming to CFS are overjoyed with sparkle in their eyes to have this opportunity to learn. To find out more, please visit here.

*At JPF, we are using the term “people fleeing Myanmar” instead of “Rohingya” to be considerate to the ethnic backgrounds and diversity among those who have fled Myanmar.

Health & Sanitation Management Improvement Project at a Refugee Camp: Médecins du Monde Japon

16th December 2019 18:16

As a JPF grant project, JPF member NGO Médecins du Monde Japon (MdM) is implementing a project to improve health and sanitation management among mainly youth residents of a refugee camp in Ukhia, Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. This camp has hosted people who have fled Myanmar since over two years ago. Their population is in the hundreds of thousands. MdM is providing the youth in this refugee camp with health education. Teaching the youth what actions are necessary to protect their own health, MdM is helping them build a better future for themselves.

Humanitarian Assistance for People Fleeing Myanmar: Lecture

28th November 2019 12:27

A lecture, which JPF supports, will be held on the people fleeing Myanmar hosted by the Sacred Heart Institute for Sustainable Futures (SHISF).

SHISF Presents: Lecture “Assistance for the Rohingya Fleeing Myanmar: The Importance of Social Cohesion and Future Prospects”
Date & Time: Friday 29th November 2019 18:30-19:30
Venue: Classroom 4-2, 2nd Floor, Sacred Heart Global Plaza (Building No.4)
Sponsored by: International Organization for Migration (IOM) Tokyo; UNHCR Japan; Shapla Neer = Citizen’s Committee in Japan for Overseas Support (SHAPLA NEER); Association for Aid and Relief, Japan (AAR); World Vision Japan (WVJ); and Japan Platform (JPF)

Starting in 2017, 700,000 people have fled Myanmar and have poured into Cox’s Bazaar, Bangladesh, where they are living in harsh conditions in the camps set up in Cox’s Bazaar or in surrounding communities. While the Bangladesh government, UN agencies, other international organizations, and NGOs are working to improve their living conditions, and while both Bangladesh and Myanmar governments have discussed repatriation of those who have fled, things remain very difficult for these people.

This event has been scheduled to coincide with the visit to Japan by Mr. Giorgi Gigauri, Chief of Mission of the United Nations International Organization for Migration (IOM) Bangladesh. The talk will feature the current state of refugee issues and future prospects. All who are interested are welcome to attend!

Please visit the following page for more information on the event (*Registration required; free admissions): https://kyosei.u-sacred-heart.ac.jp/event/20191129/

Emergency Response for People Fleeing Myanmar: 2 Years Since the Crisis Began

3rd September 2019 19:30

JPF member NGO Médecins du Monde (MdM) has posted a video of people who have fled Myanmar* with two years passing since the beginning of the crisis. Despite difficult circumstances for those who have fled, children are growing up and talking about their hopes and dreams. Please check out the video!
You can find it here: http://bit.ly/2Q7Dclf

*Taking into consideration the ethnic background and diversity of people fleeing Myanmar, JPF is using the expression “Myanmar refugees” instead of “Rohingya.”

Emergency Response for People Fleeing Myanmar: Current state of educational facilities within host communities

7th August 2019 19:30

• ©Plan International Japan

Plan International Japan, a JPF member NGO, is providing educational assistance in Myanmar refugee* camps as well as host communities in Bangladesh that have accepted refugees.
In one of the middle schools within one of the host communities, there are 489 students between Grade 6 through Grade 10, but there is only one classroom for each grade and not enough desks and chairs for all students. There are also only two bathrooms in the entire school.
We hope that the learning environment will continue to improve through school building renovations and teacher training, so that that children can receive education without any concerns.
*Taking into consideration the ethnic background and diversity of people fleeing Myanmar, JPF is using the expression “Myanmar refugees” instead of “Rohingya.”

Emergency Response for People Fleeing Myanmar: Plan International Japan delivers educational aid to children who have fled Myanmar

9th July 2019 22:00

• ©Plan International Japan

Plan International Japan, a JPF member NGO, launched a project to provide educational support to the children of people who have fled Myanmar* in the district of Cox’s Bazar and other locations in Bangladesh.
Along with opening educational facilities in refugee camps, they will also renovate schools in host communities. We hope that children who are currently living under harsh conditions will be able to receive education in a safe environment going forward.
*Taking into consideration the ethnic background and diversity of people fleeing Myanmar, JPF is using the expression “Myanmar refugees” instead of “Rohingya.”

▼ See here for Plan International Japan’s activity report
https://www.plan-international.jp/act.../report/20190703_5241/

Emergency Response for People Fleeing Myanmar: Providing education to children of Myanmar refugees

30th June 2019 19:30
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is providing assistance to Sunflower Temporary Learning Centre with the goal of providing a higher standard of education to children of Myanmar refugees* in Kutupalong in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh.
Abu Sayed fled to Bangladesh to protect himself from persecution in Rakhine, Myanmar, which has continued since August 2017, and he has six children. His three younger children are receiving basic primary education at the Sunflower Temporary Learning Center, which is a short walk from the family’s shelter. They spend a few hours each day learning English, Burmese, life skills and math.　However, the learning center does not have a fixed curriculum nor do they provide secondary education.
James Onyango, UNHCR’s education officer in Cox’s Bazar, has stated that improving education is a priority for UNHCR and that they opened a teacher training facility last October. He also explains that UNHCR is cooperating with other humanitarian agencies to strengthening the capacity of teachers and improve the overall quality of education.
*Taking into consideration the ethnic background and diversity of people fleeing Myanmar, JPF is using the expression “Myanmar refugees” instead of “Rohingya.”

▼See here for the news story from UNHCR (English)
https://www.unhcr.org/.../rohingya-refugees-fret-childrens-fu...

Emergency Response for People Fleeing Myanmar: UN Delegates Visit Refugee Camp in Cox’s Bazar - UN News

11th May 2019 22:00

On 26th April, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcok, head of UN migration agency (IOM) António Vitorino, and UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi visited the refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, for people who have fled Myanmar*.

The UN delegates disclosed that about half of the 540,000 children under 12 who live in the refugee camp are not getting any education, while other children have limited access to schooling.

Read more here:
https://news.un.org/en/story/2019/04/1037421

*At JPF, we are using the term “people fleeing Myanmar” instead of the ethnic term “Rohingya” to be considerate to the diverse ethnic backgrounds of those who have fled Myanmar.

Emergency Response for People Fleeing Myanmar: Providing Safe Spaces for the Children - Towards a Disaster-Resilient Learning Environment

5th April 2019 22:00

As a JPF grant project, JPF member NGO Plan International Japan (PLAN) is developing a disaster-resilient learning environment for the people who have fled Myanmar* and the members of the local host communities in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. To help prepare the residents for landslides and other disasters, PLAN has been providing disaster preparedness activities within refugee camps and continuing disaster awareness activities for primary and secondary schools in the host communities that have welcomed many fleeing Myanmar. Their activities aim to secure a learning environment where the children can feel safe and sound.

With our member NGOs with various unique characteristics and expertise, JPF is providing hands-on assistance based on local needs. We thank you for your warm support and for your donations.

*At JPF, we are using the term “people fleeing Myanmar” instead of the ethnic term “Rohingya” to be considerate to the diverse ethnic backgrounds of those who have fled Myanmar.

Emergency Response for People Fleeing Myanmar: Children Living in Untenable Situation - UN Agency Raises Alarm

7th March 2019 19:30

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) raised alarm regarding the children among those who have fled Myanmar* and are now living in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar, calling the situation “untenable.”

Many people who have fled Myanmar have no legal identity or citizenship in Myanmar and were forced to leave for Bangladesh when violence broke out in 2017. Without official legal identity, they consequently have no official refugee status, either.

UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore has emphasized the importance of education for these children, stating, “The obligation we have as a global society is immense: to give children and young people [...] the education and skills they need to build decent lives for themselves.” The UNICEF chief noted that for their current conditions to change, the children who have fled Myanmar “cannot be left without the education and skills to build a life for themselves,” stressing the importance of relief efforts toward the international community as a whole.

For an article by the UN (in English), visit here: https://news.un.org/en/story/2019/02/1033722

*At JPF, we are using the term “people fleeing Myanmar” instead of the ethnic term “Rohingya” to be considerate to the diverse ethnic backgrounds of those who have fled Myanmar.

Emergency Response for People Fleeing Myanmar: JPF Member NGO AAR Japan Continuing Hygiene Support and Protection of Children and Women

15th February 2019 22:00

• ©AAR Japan
• ©AAR Japan
• ©AAR Japan

As JPF grant projects, JPF Member NGO AAR Japan is implementing hygiene support and children’s and women’s protection for the people who have fled Myanmar.

The hygiene project entails the construction of toilets, wells, and bathing facilities to enable access to safe and clean water for those who have fled. The facilities that are currently under construction are close to completion.

For the protection project, AAR Japan is providing psychological counseling at respective facilities for children and for women. The counseling offers psychological care that is mindful of those who have fled who are consequently feeling anxiety.

Emergency Response for People Fleeing Myanmar: Civilians at Risk of Human Rights Abuses - UN Raises Alarm

21st January 2019 19:45

Yanghee Lee, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Myanmar, cited the escalating violence in Rakhine and Chin states and urged both the Myanmar military and ethnic armed groups to show restraint and to protect civilians. Since last October, the fighting between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army have intensified and many civilians have been hurt in this conflict. As a result, at least 5,000 people have had to flee their homes since early December of last year. Special Rapporteur Lee emphasizes that “all the people of Rakhine state, regardless of their religion and ethnic group, have already suffered enough,” and showed concern that “exacerbating divisions among communities in an already fractured state further complicates the complex situations that exists.”

Read the UN report here: https://news.un.org/en/story/2019/01/1030852