Woman standing outside next next to a river, crab fishing

Empowering women, ending dependence and transforming lives – two stories from Bangladesh

Volunteer filmmaker Sue Turbett has just returned from Bangladesh, capturing first-hand projects that are investing in the livelihoods of women.

Monir, 5, participating in learning at an ECCE centre. 31 were supported by VSO, in Camp 15 situated at Jamtoli of Ukhiya.
©VSO/Mahmud Hossain Opu

Creating smiles in a Rohingya refugee camp

One year ago, VSO supporters donated £130,000 to help Rohingya children living in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. One year on, we look at the tremendous impact the project has made for thousands of people.

Image of Rohingya refugee camp, Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh showing housing structures
©VSO/Abir Abdullah

5 things I've learned volunteering in a refugee camp

Kenyan volunteer Ann Wambui shares what she's learnt as a volunteer in Cox's Bazar camp in Bangladesh.

Man walking through a green field on a Bangladeshi farm
VSO/Qamruzzaman

Developing software for a better world

VSO has been working with software consultants, Equal Experts, using software to help rural farmers access new services in Bangladesh.

Nowrin vs female farmer poverty

As the sole female volunteer on VSO’s rural livelihoods programme in Bangladesh, Nowrin Sultana, 26, is in demand. For the last two years, she’s been working to financially empower all-female farming groups in rural communities in the northern district of Rangpur.

Helping Rohingya children get their childhoods back

About half a million children are living in refugee camps in Bangladesh. We're working together to help them.

Arifa

The volunteer helping Rohingya refugee children regain their childhood

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugee children are living in camps in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, having experienced conflict and trauma. Arifa is a VSO volunteer is championing play-based learning to help these children regain their childhood.

children at cox's bazar refugee camp
VSO

How a video call is changing lives in this refugee camp

In the world’s biggest refugee settlement, volunteers from Bangladesh, Myanmar and Wales are working together to create fun, play, learning and laughter for Rohingya children who call the camps home. 

Volunteers wear masks while teaching COVID-19 safety awareness
Anup Goon

Volunteering in the Rohingya refugee camps during COVID-19

Bangladesh is one of the worst-hit countries in Asia for COVID-19, and its densly-populated Rohingya refugee camps have been highlighted as one of the highest-risk areas by the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC). Anup Goon shares what he is seeing on the ground and how volunteers like him are fighting to prevent a catastrophic outbreak in the camps.