It's often true the humanitarians we work with pour their heart and soul into their work. They give up a lot to give to others - including their time. Ishrat is one of those special people. She works with us helping Rohingya refugees, first starting as a translating but then quickly becoming a core member of the team. There are so many things we couldn't do without her. But we also realize that her dedication has meant time away from the people she cares about most - her family. She has two young daughters and a husband at home. So we thought...what if we could do something special not only for Ishrat, but for everyone? We wanted this day to be a real treat for the whole gang. So we rolled out the red carpet and treated Ishrat, her hubby, and her kids like real VIPs! First, we picked them up and drove them to a nearby resort, where they started the day off right with a big buffet breakfast. Then, we had a surprise! A family photo shoot, so that they'll have beautifully … [Read more...] about VIPs for a Day

Sometimes in emergency situations, meeting someone's basic needs is top of mind. But we also know that a person is much more than their basic needs. Today, we're thinking about ways we can help elderly Rohingya in particular have a simply better experience in the camp. Most families who have fled now have at least a shelter to live in. But many people – and especially the elderly – feel stuck in their houses. They don’t have anywhere to congregate or sit outside those four walls. Today we wanted to do a little something that’s beyond survival, thinking about the whole needs of a person who is adjusting to their new reality. One simple way we could increase the livability of the camp for elderly refugees is benches. It doesn’t cost much at all, but having somewhere to sit outside of your home is priceless for people who have a hard time getting around. We gave 15 benches to 15 older folks – one of them was 100 years old! - so that they can use them where they … [Read more...] about On the Bench

In the refugee camp, Rohingya refugees need to walk long distances every day for firewood, supplies, and food rations - really anything they need. These needs don’t stop when the rain starts. But many of people don't have anything to protect themselves from the torrential downpours. Umbrellas are a classic tool to prevent yourself from getting drenched. We thought they might be useful in this situation, too! We got 200 umbrellas, one to each of the families that received the plants from us. That way, the families could have something immediate - the umbrellas - and then have something long term too - the food from the plants. Everyone was so happy to receive the gift, and they told us that they wouldn’t just use the umbrellas for when the rains came but also to shield themselves from the sun when they were outside. "I will use this right away," said Mobarshara, a woman living in this community. "I am very happy with this." Back at home, these communities had … [Read more...] about Rainy Season

Before fleeing, most Rohingya lived in villages and were farmers and gardeners. Much of their food came from plants, trees, and crops. Now, all that has changed. There aren't a lot of trees, and people have to travel far distances for any sources of food beyond the rations they receive. And there aren't any plants outside their shelters. A specialist from our partner OBAT helped us source a variety of vegetables plants - from beans, eggplants, gourds, and trees, we covered the gamut of possibilities. We provided plants for 200 shelters! Over time, the plants will grow into vegetables they can harvest, and they'll provide a little shade for the family. Plus, some greenery will lend a sense of home and normalcy. "I feel very good getting this," said one resident, Mobarshara, who lived in the community. She selected the exact place where the plant would be put. She had plants in Myanmar, so she feels a sense of peace being surrounded by them again. Plus, she said, the kids … [Read more...] about Making a Home

Yesterday, the Rohingya students at the Bani Street School read their letters from their Kansas pen pals with gusto. They were so excited to respond. But we wanted to make sure that included in their replies was a photo of themselves - just like in the letters they received from their pals. And we thought, I bet these kids don’t have any photos of themselves…let’s make sure they get one of their own, too! So we bought a Polaroid camera and plenty of film. Then we got to work. The kids were mesmerized by the Polaroid! It was almost like magic as their images slowly appeared - and they shrieked with joy once their photos started to take shape. It was important for the Kansas students to see who was writing back to them to connect on a deeper level. Plus, the students at Bani will always have a memento of the fun of today. It's a nice feeling to be seen by others...and to feel your worth in the process. … [Read more...] about A Snapshot

The kids at Bani Street don't have a lot of opportunities to expand their world. But we know that as kids, sometimes that's one of the most important things you can do. Whether it's reading a book about faraway lands or connecting with people from different backgrounds, learning about the world can mean the world to kids. We wanted the kids at Bani to have that experience, too...to let them know that there are kids similar to them, just on the other side of the globe. We connected to a 5th grade teacher in Kansas to see if she might have each of her students write a letter to the kids at Bani Street. She took the idea and ran with it, immersing her students in a learning experience about what Rohingya refugees have been through and what they could do to help. Each student wrote a letter to a friend in the Bani Street program. They also send pictures of themselves and sent them along with the letters. We brought the letters to Bani Street in a special after-school … [Read more...] about Pen Pals

Bani Street is a non-profit school for orphaned street kids. With the influx of Rohingya refugees in the area, they have opened up the school to some especially vulnerable Rohingya refugee children as well. A big part of their activity time is for Taedwondo - it's a controlled sport that allows for release of energy, but also teaches important life lessons. It’s an especially good activity for kids who have grown up in non-disciplined environments - like living on the street. We were so inspired by the work of Bani Street that we wanted to elevate their work. We asked the leadership and the teachers what they thought would help the kids even more... Their idea was to redo the walls in both of the two classrooms. The rooms were looking pretty run down - not exactly a great environment to foster creativity. We hired a local painter to prep the walls for painting, to paint the walls, and to add bright hand prints for an extra splash of color. Both classrooms were looking … [Read more...] about Something Nice

The Cleaning Team has been working hard for quite a while. And they continue to go above and beyond. They’ve been focusing on their work as a way to give back and support their community. But they haven’t had the opportunity to celebrate their work and take a day to just enjoy themselves. We wanted to change that. We rented a bus to pick up the Cleaning Team from their living area in the refugee camp and brought them to a national park for day. We wanted them to have an opportunity to enjoy a day like this, which they haven’t had for at least 9 months. We picked up a stereo for music that included a microphone, so the group could have a little fun on the bus ride. We pre-ordered lunch and waters for the group, which they had picnic style at the park. The result? Rejuvenation. The stereo and microphone were a huge hit. The group was dancing and singing the entire bus ride – they finally were able to let loose and enjoy themselves. Mohib took videos of the … [Read more...] about A Day Off

The Cleaning Team has been working nearly every day for a few hours each day, for months, cleaning the areas in the refugee camp where they live. And they've had great success. So much so that the market area across the road - a non refugee community - was feeling like they could use their services, too. The Team felt like they wanted to help. They expressed their eagerness to do something to give back, especially to the community that has generously given them safe haven. So today was easy - we helped them take action. We rented a large lowry for trash removal, and the Cleaning Team walked with their tools to the market and began cleaning. We planned to only have the team work for a few hours, but there was much more to be done. Instead of just stopping, they offered to continue working the next day to make a larger impact – they wanted to make sure that they made a difference. Once the work was done, the market was in tip top shape. Plus, it was an opportunity to spend … [Read more...] about Clean Up

The Cleaning Team is a group of about 15 Rohingya men who were hired to clean the area of the camp where they live. It's a job they take pride and find purpose in. People look up to them as leaders in their community. But while they've banded together through this work, they don’t have any type of visible connections that show who they are and what they do. So we asked them what type of items they'd want to wear to help unify and identify them. Their answer? Arsenal jerseys. The soccer team is so popular that it wasn’t too difficult to find some Arsenal jerseys sold at the local market! The Cleaning Team members have earned trust in the community – what we realized is that the visibility of the team members allowed others to seek help as needed. They were so happy to get their jerseys. They were eager to put them on and pose for photos! The jerseys allowed for recognition of their consistent and reliable work, but they were also a visible reminder to others - … [Read more...] about A Team Effort