“We don’t like to go out at night because it is not safe for women. At night, we don’t eat or drink very much so that we don’t have to use the toilet.” – Ayesha, Rohingya refugee.
Hundreds of attacks on women are reported each week in the Cox’s Bazar region of Bangladesh, and many have injured themselves after falling over in the dark on the treacherous, uneven paths. Monsoon season brings other dangers, like muddy landslides that destroy tents and contaminate drinking water. And Covid-19 still threatens the overcrowded population.
Your support could help provide refugees with the tools they need to stay safe like solar-powered lanterns, clean water and hygiene training. What we might take for granted, like a torch or running water, could be life-changing for families living in the largest refugee camp in the world.
When darkness falls here in Aotearoa, we simply need to turn on a light to see where we’re going. For Rohingya refugees like Ayesha without lanterns or torches, their safety is at risk. With something as small as a lantern, Ayesha will be able to safely leave the house at night to do simple tasks like going to the toilet.
Imagine arriving in an overcrowded refugee camp, after a terrifying and dangerous journey, with your children and just the clothes on your back. For the more than 900,000 refugees in the Cox’s Bazar region of Bangladesh, this is their reality. And while they are now safe from the violence in Myanmar, they still face daily danger inside the camp.
Oxfam is working with refugees to decide where the floodlights would be most usefully located, and community volunteers have formed lighting committees to take responsibility for the lights, trained in the maintenance and helping to prevent vandalism and theft.
With these solar-powered lanterns, refugees can make their way to facilities such as water points, toilets, and health clinics safely. Donate today to light up the lives of refugees in the Cox’s Bazar region.
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