Amina remembers her daughter Fatema, 14, who left for Malaysia with her aunt Zubaida, 20, by boat on April 4 and went missing: “I sent my daughter with the hope that she could have a better life than here in the camp but that hope faded away in the deep ocean,” she said. Parents are desperately searching for any news about their loved ones whether dead or alive. Photo: Khin Maung Thien

With a heavy heart, we remember our friend Mohammad Ullah, who is missing. We know the sea can take our lives. But many of us still take that journey because we have no other choice. In the camps, the future feels dark. There is no clear path for repatriation, no stable livelihood and little hope for our children’s education. When life offers no guarantee, people begin to risk everything.

Dil Nowas, a Rohingya woman, was sold three times by traffickers who gave her false hope and fake promises of marriage. She was arrested in India and forced to spend seven years in jail. Rohingya women must be alerted against these dangers through awareness training.

A mother is reunited with her two daughters, who were deceived by a relative and trafficked. The traffickers demanded 250,000 taka ($5,200) and beat the girls when their mother was unable to pay on time. We need stronger action to stop trafficking and protect families. Photo by Yassin

Children were among those who gathered at the Kutupalong Refugee Camp to protest peacefully against the food aid cuts introduced by the UN on April 1. The cuts could divide an already suffering community. With no freedom to work and no stable income even a small cut means hunger. Food shortages will also create pressure to leave by boat. We urgently call for food support to be restored and for a real dialogue with refugees.

In the Rohingya refugee camps, the climate crisis is not distant; it is something we feel every single day. Heat, floods, and disasters are making already fragile lives even harder. This is a reason to celebrate the successful launch of our gardening start-up. Helped by REAL, 40 families have grown 1.4 tons of green vegetables over four months, improving their nutrition and showing we need not be dependent on food aid. Read about it here!

Authorities in Ukhiya detained Rohingya refugees while they were collecting firewood from a reserved forest. With severe fuel shortages in the camps, many families are left with no option but to risk punishment just to cook a meal. We urgently call for sustainable fuel support. No one should be punished for trying to meet their most basic needs.

More than 8,700 chickenpox cases have been recorded in just three months, placing already vulnerable Rohingya children at high risk as the disease spreads quickly in overcrowded shelters where isolation is nearly impossible. REAL is carrying out daily awareness efforts, reaching hundreds of refugees with important prevention guidance.

A childhood shaped by hardship: He sits quietly by the roadside, repairing worn-out shoes and trying to earn a few coins to support his family. While others learn in classrooms, he learns survival. His silence speaks of sacrifice, resilience and dreams pushed aside but not lost. No child should have to choose work over childhood. His story is not just about strength, it is a call for protection and the right of every child to learn, grow, and dream.

REAL is pleased to report that Sumayia Bibi, our Women’s Protection & Safeguarding Officer, successfully conducted a training on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA). Sumaiya used real-life examples to explain the threat from PSEA and appropriate response. We sincerely appreciate her commitment and leadership and remain committed to advancing the protection, dignity and well-being of Rohingya women.