Winter Clothes Program

The Rohingya Crisis:

As the Rohingya crisis enters its sixth year in Bangladesh, nearly one million refugees continue to face extreme hardships. A significant portion of these refugees, including those living in Cox’s Bazar, suffer from disabilities (1%) and severe medical conditions (0.38%). A large number of children are acutely malnourished (12%) and chronically malnourished (41%). Additionally, refugees live in precarious conditions, vulnerable to natural disasters such as fires, cyclones, and monsoons, with inadequate shelter. The majority of the population consists of women, children, and the elderly, with 52% of the refugees being women and girls and more than half being children.

Aims and Objectives:

Through the “Winter Relief Program 2023-24,” AMAN (Association for Mass Advancement Network) aimed to support vulnerable Rohingya refugee families in Cox’s Bazar and Netrokona districts by providing 640+216 winter relief packages. The program focused on delivering essential supplies to help these families survive the harsh winter conditions.

Outcomes:

A total of 854 winter relief packages were distributed, including 640 packages in Cox’s Bazar and 214 in Netrokona. Each package contained the following items:

• 1 Blanket
• 1 Children’s Hoodie
• 1 Man’s Shawl
• 1 Woman’s Shawl
• 1 Mosquito Net
• 1 Winter Cap
• 1 Pair of Baby Socks

The distribution of these items significantly improved the physical comfort of the refugees, reducing the incidence of cold-related illnesses and promoting overall well-being. The mosquito nets contributed to the prevention of Dengue and other communicable diseases, especially in Camp 12.

This initiative brought relief and improved the living conditions of the selected beneficiary families, spreading contentment in the communities of Cox’s Bazar and Netrokona.

Project Title: Winter Relief Program 2023-24
Implementing Organization: AMAN (Association for Mass Advancement Network)
Locations:

• Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh (Rohingya Refugee Camp 12)
• Netrokona, Bangladesh (Barotoli Banihari Union, Mohongonj Upazila, Nagaon)
  Duration:
• 5th Dec 2023 – 4th Jan 2024 (Cox’s Bazar)
• 6th Dec 2024 (Netrokona)

Target Communities:

The program focused on the most vulnerable populations, including 640 families in Cox’s Bazar’s makeshift Camp 12, who are socially, economically, and culturally disadvantaged. Additionally, 214 families in Netrokona, who face vulnerability during the winter season, were included.

Number of Beneficiaries:

The total number of families served by the program was 854, with an average of 5 members per family, resulting in a total of 4,270 beneficiaries.

Budget and Funding:

The project received a total of US$ 20,000 for the winter relief efforts in both Cox’s Bazar and Netrokona.

Cost Breakdown:

The total cost per relief package was USD 23.43, with a total project cost of USD 20,011.59.

Way Forward:

Due to funding limitations, only 640 families in the Rohingya camp received winter relief assistance. However, many more families remain affected and are in dire need of support. In the future, it would be highly beneficial to expand the relief efforts to include these excluded families in the next year’s program.