A few nights ago, a terrible blaze ripped through Camp 5 of the Kutapalong Refugee Camp set up in Cox's Bazaar, Bangladesh. Thousands of Rohingya refugees have been left without shelter and many essential services have been disrupted or destroyed altogether. For more info: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/1/7/thousands-of-rohingya-homeless-after-fire-in-bangladesh For those unaware, the Rohingya people are an ethnic group from Rakhine, Myanmar. Since 1982, Rohingya have been denied statehood, had their lands confiscated, and been stripped of all human rights. Across the decades, Rohingya have faced state-sanctioned violence. In 2017, over 24,000 Rohingya were killed in what was described as a 'genocide' by international NGOs. As a result, over half a million Rohingya fled to neighboring countries, seeking asylum. Most ended up in the nearby resort town of Cox's Bazaar, Bangladesh. Now around 600,000 Rohingya refugees live in Bangladesh's Kutapalong camp, making it the world's largest refugee camp. While the Rohingya are somewhat guarded from state-sanction violence, they experience a range of other stressors and problems. Shelters are poorly made, and there is limited access to sanitation and healthcare facilities, and many live in squalor. Refugees also frequently experience the effects of natural disasters (e.g., flooding/monsoons), man-made disasters (e.g., fires), and gang violence. Due to a lack of international and national support, funding for refugees has also led to rationing of food and other essential goods, such as blankets, communication devices, and medicine. Myself and others have been in communication with community leaders in Kutapalong camp following this major fire. They have identified that more is needed to help support shelterless women and children. The main needs are emergency food, blankets, and other useful things during this crucial time of winter nights. Please donate what you can!