On any given week, the arrival of 18,000 new Rohingya refugees is a small number. It would be considered one of the less turbulent weeks during an influx that has displaced nearly 700,000 people from Myanmar in less than six months. The fleeing population cling to makeshift boats in dark waters and tread uninhabited jungles in search of safety.
Escaping into the unknown is a matter of survival. It is a matter of fight or flight as shootings, arson, massacres, brutality, and rape are a regular reality. They resort to scavenging along the way, holding whatever remnants they can carry of their former lives. Shelley Thakral, Communication Officer, World Food Programme (WFP) recalls a pregnant woman’s tale of survival. She explained that she would pick leaves and keep them in a bag for when she was hungry. The disruption to food access is the start of a cycle of under-nutrition leading in many cases to malnutrition. Because of the importance of development for young children, we have made it a priority to create specialized nutrition centers for children and pregnant and breastfeeding mothers.”
These centers provide sessions that teach mothers the importance of nutrition and safe food preparation. “We do not just supply them with fortified nutritional porridge; they need to understand why it is important to receive additional food beyond their normal diet. Many of these women are stunted themselves from their early childhood, and have micronutrient deficiencies made worse in a time of extreme stress and trauma, lack of food and a difficult journey.”
WFP starts their intervention by measuring their height, mid-upper arm circumference and taking their weight. The three-step process entails weighing, measuring, and recording their basic health statistics. Shelley emphasizes the need for a data system to monitor nutrition status, “Each woman and child is given a card that keeps a record of their nutrition status in order for us to monitor them when they come back for the next session with a health worker.” WFP also provides basic food requirements to all refugees. “Initially, upon arrival, we provide high energy biscuits, cooked foods, and khichuri (a mixture of lentil and rice) which is commonly eaten in this region. We want them to regain some of the strength. After registration, they are then given ration cards with which they can obtain essentials such as rice, lentils, oil and sometimes supplements such as salt and sugar.”
The matter is much greater amongst this densely occupied region. The makeshift tents and topography make it prone to natural and man-made disasters. The high rate of deforestation to make way for tents and provide fuel for cooking have made firewood scarce. This dynamic introduces a set of protection issues. When women and children go to gather wood they are vulnerable to several forms of gender-based violence.” Shelley and her team also understand that if a fire in the makeshift camp becomes uncontrollable, it can result in a widespread catastrophe. WFP is working to facilitate alternative sources of fuel in order for cooking so as to mitigate all the negative issues associated with deforestation”.
Working towards greater dignity for affected people and affording them the choice of food items including a range of fresh foods, WFP implements a data enrollment service that provides refugees with a food assistance card. It has a $10 value per family member and is topped up monthly. Shelley expounds that technology is an innovator even in the most dismal and dense conditions, “We begin by collecting the biometrics of the senior women in the household and her family members and issue a card under the registered individual’s names. Our priority in this context is women, they are traditionally the overseers of food security for the household. Furthermore, E-vouchers empower the women with choice, promote a ‘regular life’ experience of shopping rather than being purely a recipient, provide a broader diet diversification and help support the local economy.’’Given that the process is very technical and intricate, WFP holds rigorous training sessions that demonstrate how the cards can be used.”
The e-cards can act as a multi-wallet card service and provide refugees with more than a staple food. Shelley details that the system has supported their collaboration with UNICEF and UNHCR, “Collaboration with some of the other organizations at the site have really supported holistic aid. We understand that food is the primal need in this situation. They can purchase staple food and condiments such as garlic, onions, or citruses to impart flavor.” In such adversity, food items are not the only necessity when most arrive with only the clothes they are wearing. “There is a need for non-food items so families will in the future be able to use the card to purchase other items such as shelter provisions, hygiene kits, and blankets. When there is very little access to money, the multi wallet card is an inventive financial solution.”
Data collection and research activities act as a catalyst to the aid direct intervention. Shelley illustrates that a cross-agency referral basis allows for consistent and targeted interventions, “Our food distribution is twice a month. We carry out an assessment to determine the size and portion necessary for each family.” WFP also extends support to the families that require extra attention. “If the household head is a child, an older person, pregnant or with an injury, disability or chronic illness, we have porters who help them carry food from the distribution point. A single mother may also require support services and we address this accordingly. We try to promote dignity in our distribution points by making sure toilets, clean drinking water and a private place for breastfeeding are available.”
A lesser seen challenge when such a large community had been displaced is the conditions of the host community. Teknaf is not an economically sound community; the local host community consists of 12.5% highly vulnerable and 25.5% moderately vulnerable people. WFP has worked with the local people for years providing them with support programs.
“We have established school feeding programs, nutrition support and livelihoods and empowerment programs for sustained community development” Shelley explains. “We also support the local community when it is impacted by natural disasters. Humanitarian assistance is given according to need, regardless of who the person is or where they come from”.
The livelihoods program works with women in the community, empowering them to be financially independent. Shelley affirms that WFP has integrated a package of grant schemes for income-generating activities as well as series of Behavior Change Communication sessions that help in the socio-economic empowerment of the local women, these women are organized into self-help groups, nurtured to be independent and some even get registered officially within the District of Women’s affairs records. “I recently met a woman who had opened her own shop. You’re not just giving them a means of finance – this is a tool for empowerment and security which has also allowed them to transform their lives, especially in their food security and ensure their children can go to school, Shelley emphasizes the attention and regular visits to the host community in order to equally address their need: “When a community is not economically sound itself, you cannot simply aside their needs in such a crisis. It is imperative to find a balance between both populations. We are currently running the third phase of our support programs that focus on food, nutrition, and livelihoods for both the communities. In the local host communities, 100,000 people will benefit from this support.”
There are countless stories of trauma, starvation, and massacre as Rohingya continue to arrive. Nevertheless, the focus must be on securing a future that recognizes their basic human rights.
