Save the Rohingya

Dear friends,

Most of you around the world have experienced the first signs of fall already. Hope you are ready to rake the leaves from your backyards and enjoy the pumpkin infused scents and beverages, characteristic of this weather.

 Being in late September means we are bringing our third update of the year to you! Where did the time go?

 There is much to share with you about OBAT’s Rohingya Program. All three sectors of OBAT’s humanitarian response, education, health and empowerment, have been running efficiently and smoothly, thanks to your support.

Here are some specific highlights from the last few months:

• A new latrine has been built in the Rohingya camp, thanks to the CIC office (Camp in Charge), This latrine is very close to OBAT’s learning center for Rohingya girls aged 13 and above. Forty-six girls study at this center which is being run by the generous support of the Maiya School. The latrine will provide a much-needed sanitation facility for the young girls and the female teachers who will no longer have to walk a long distance to access one. We are thankful to OBAT’s team who are constantly advocating for the welfare of its students.
• The Bangladesh Navy provided about four acres of land to OBAT to create employment opportunities for the Rohingya refugees settled in the remote island of Bhasan Char. The land is being utilized for cultivation of crops. Two types of vegetables are being planted and grown in this land. Some such as gourds grow horizontally, while others such as okra and eggplant grow vertically. Volunteers from the Rohingya community are piloting this cultivation system and also preparing quick compost made out of sawmill dust, oilcakes and poultry drops. Once the cultivation system is piloted, it will benefit 1,000 Rohingya women and enable them to cultivate vegetables to earn an income.
• The Education Sector of nonprofits which determines the curriculum of education for Rohingya refugees, recently distributed 200 books to students of OBAT's learning centers. A new and scaled up curriculum is now being followed for Rohingya children and is known as the Myanmar Curriculum.
• A compassionate donor wanted to spread some light in the lives of Rohingya children. Thanks to their generosity, 150 Rohingya kids received gifts which consisted of paints, pencil, coloring pencils and paper, sharpener, eraser and pen. We are grateful to our donors for creating happy moments for our children
• It was a great case of happenstance when our Rohingya Clinic Medical Assistant and Physician were both en route to Naokhali from Bhasan Char (a remote island where OBAT serves some of the relocated Rohingya refugees) on a boat which was also taking a Rohingya woman for delivery to a bigger hospital. The woman started with active labor and began to bleed during the boat ride. OBAT’s Medical Assistant, Golam Rabbi, carried out the delivery successfully after being granted permission from Bhasan Char’s Health Coordinator and the boat’s magistrate. All the passengers welcomed the new baby and commended Mr. Rabbi on his timely and adept intervention. We are incredibly proud of and grateful for our amazing staff!

Heartwarming stories like these abound when a team is made up of deeply committed and dedicated individuals. OBAT is lucky to have many more Rabbi’s on its team- every day for them is an opportunity to make another life better. They can only do so knowing that there are many invisible hands like yours, propping them up and enabling them to do more good.

We will forever be grateful for your support. Thank you for making lives better EVERY SINGLE DAY!

Your OBAT Family.

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