How Australia is making a real difference to Rohingya refugees
The generous contribution of the country’s government and people is helping WFP ensure Rohingya refugees do not go to bed hungry
At 27, Montaj Begum is eight months’ pregnant with her seventh child. Her other children range between 1 and 10 in age. Her husband was killed in the recent violence in Myanmar.
I meet her at a new specialized feeding centre which has opened in Kutapolong Extension camp, under the watchful eye of our partner, the Bangladesh organization BRAC. There are now 21 basic supplementary feeding programmes in the camps. With the support of Australia’s Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the World Food Programme (WFP) has been reaching more young children, and pregnant and breastfeeding women, with emergency nutrition assistance to battle alarming rates of malnutrition.
It is her first visit to the nutrition centre, where she was referred as a pregnant mother. When she leaves, two of her children come out to help her carry the nutritious porridge. After a short walk on a single track running through the camp sewage, we reach her home — one of a stretch of thin shelters cramped on a hilly terrain. As she settles her children, she tells me she is planning to have her baby here, “at home”.
She also tells me about the teaching session she had at the centre. “I learnt how to cook the super cereal, wash my hands before, use hot water, and that the super cereal is rich with vitamins.’’
Her two oldest children collect leaves to burn and cook the food, and the family receives firewood through donations. Montaj Begum is worried about feeding her family and adds that while she gets rice, she cannot get vegetables and fish. She is enrolled on WFP’s e-voucher programme and is waiting to be issued with a card that she can use in the food assistance shops.
WFP is expanding its e-voucher programme, which allows people to buy a greater variety of food of their own choice. WFP plans to deliver all of its assistance through e-vouchers by the end of the year. E-vouchers can be used in shops to buy 19 different foods, including rice, lentils, fresh vegetables, eggs and dried fish, leading to more nutritious and diverse diets.
Since the beginning of the emergency operation to respond to the mass arrival of people fleeing violence in Myanmar, Australia has provided AU$15.3 million to WFP operations in Bangladesh. Australian assistance has enabled WFP to reach 440,000 people (an estimated 88,000 families) and provide nutrition support to 55,000 women and children, including 40,000 children suffering from malnutrition. In the early stages of the response, Australian support allowed WFP to provide new arrivals with high-energy biscuits.
Expert help
In the seven months since the crisis began, WFP has also benefited from the support of RedR Australia’s experts who have been contributing their expertise in areas including protection, programme, engineering and capacity development.
Here is some of their feedback on working with WFP in this emergency:
“I have been able to work with a fantastic local team, and assisted newly arrived communities to access food and sanitation support.’’ Min Sun— SCOPE programme officer
“It has been rewarding to play a part in WFP’s incredible scale up for the Rohingya Crisis response, through advising on how food and nutrition assistance can be provided in a way that improves people’s safety and dignity, and respects their rights to be informed, involved, and heard. It felt good to hear a senior person on mission recently say that he had anticipated chaos but what struck him was the calm dignity of the distribution process.’’ Michelle Sanson — Protection advisor
‘’I have been lucky to play role in the coordination of the food security sector and making sure there is always collaboration, no duplication of activities and effective outcomes.’’ Aime Sabe — Food Security Sector Advisor
New threats
Despite all that has been achieved, the crisis is far from over and now is not the time to let up. Heavy rains and the onset of monsoon season next month could spell disaster for the hundreds of thousands residing in camps. WFP and its partners are doing everything they can to prepare for the rains and the monsoon season, which may bring immense challenges for Rohingya people and host communities in Cox’s Bazar.
WFP relies on the continued and flexible support of governments such as Australia not only to support people who are at a risk of starvation but also to prevent hunger and build resilience in communities at risk. Thanks to Australia and other donors, we have been able to respond to the rapidly growing Rohingya crisis while working to ensure that refugees do not go hungry.
Australian assistance in numbers
Australian overall assistance to WFP
- During the period covered under the Strategic Partnership Framework (2015–2019), Australia will provide AU$167.5 million of flexible funding
Australian assistance to WFP in Bangladesh
- Australia has provided AU$15.3 million to WFP operations in Bangladesh since the recent onset of the Rohingya crisis.
• Australian assistance has reached 440,000 people (among the estimated 670,000 new arrivals) since August 2017, and supported nutrition for 55,000 women and children, including 40,000 children suffering from malnutrition.
Australian contributions to WFP Syria Operation
- Australia has committed AU$220 million of humanitarian assistance to the Syria crisis over three years. Of this amount, WFP is receiving AU$10 million per year (AU$5 million to Syria, AU$3 million to Jordan and AU$2 million to Lebanon). Additional recipients include UNHCR, UNICEF, UN Women, Oxfam and Caritas.
WFP’s Rohingya emergency response in numbers
• Number of Rohingya refugees receiving WFP food assistance per month: 800,000
• Women and children receiving special nutritious food per month: 139,000
• People enrolled in e-voucher programme: 90,000
- Members of host communities assisted so far this year: 40,000
Learn more about WFP’s emergency response in Bangladesh
