Bangladesh: Lost Together
3'
Walking is not always easy for Aaid
Walking is not always easy for Aaid. Yet when violence erupted in Myanmar’s Rakhine state, Aaid, 73, found himself running for his life. His village and his home burned as he ran, a ruin of fire and smoke.
“I ran with my wife, daughter, and grandson to get to safety. We hid when we could, we ran when we could. It was a three-day journey. We couldn’t bring any food. Our land and our cows, our clothes and our house – we had to leave it all behind.
And then the worst thing happened. My wife and grandson were shot.
I cried! I wanted to stay with them, but when they died I had to leave them behind, because people were still coming after us. I had to take care of my daughter.
We saw a boy crying on the side of the road, calling ‘Mum?’ ‘Dad?’ It was so heartbreaking to see him. There were no parents or guardians or anyone there for him…”
As gunfire filled the air, Aaid gathered the boy in his arms and carried him to safety. It was a terrifying journey, but Aaid, his daughter, and the lost boy made it to Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh—three of 655,000 Rohingya refugees to arrive there seeking refuge.
“When we came here to the camp, people and organisations helped us. We have had enough to eat fortunately. But we need a shelter.”
Thanks to your support, Medair’s Global Emergency Response team supported World Concern (Bangladesh) in providing shelter materials and hygiene supplies to Aaid and more than 4,500 refugee families.
“We are very thankful for these materials. We will set up the shelter soon as the one we have now has a lot of holes and is not good quality. This one will be strong.”
Aaid now cares for the young boy, John, as if he were his own son. They have lost so much, so suddenly. They cling to one another.
“I miss my wife every single day. I miss her the most of all that I’ve lost.”
Your monthly gifts support the Rohingya people with shelter, hygiene supplies, and nutrition clinics for the malnourished. Sign up for monthly giving.
Medair is in Bangladesh to support the work of World Concern (BGD), and our presence there is made possible by Swiss Solidarity, Tearfund (UK), World Concern (US), and the generous support of private donors.
This content was produced with resources gathered by Medair field and headquarters staff. The views expressed herein are those solely of Medair and should not be taken, in any way, to reflect the official opinion of any other organisation.
CHECK OUR LATEST STORIES
Featured StoriesStoriesSyriaHealth and Nutrition
A new life for a clinic in Syria
"The clinic is ready!" The news was music to Dr Eyad's,(the director of Tal Salhab clinic), ears. Medair had just completed the rehabilitation of Tal Salhab's only primary health centre, providing it with much-needed medical equipment – offering a lifeline to over...
StoriesSudanWater, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)
The Sudan crisis: how Medair is stepping in
Sudan crisis: how Medair is stepping in Twelve months into the armed conflict in Sudan, it has become the largest displacement crisis in the world. To date, 8.4 million people have been forced to flee their homes, and the number is growing every day. Families have...
StoriesUkraineHealth and NutritionMental Health
The Need for mental health support in Ukraine
“I really enjoyed the organization of these trainings. I’ve already gained a lot of interesting knowledge, which, it seems, I was already familiar with, but had never thought about it deeply. Learning new things, I understand how I can apply them in my work to...
StoriesMadagascarWater, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)
Medair’s innovative response to drought
In southern Madagascar, Medair aims to play a key role in improving access to water, sanitation, and hygiene for vulnerable communities affected by drought and 'kere' (famine). Normally, people living in remote villages in southern Madagascar need to walk 10 to 40...
StoriesUkraineShelter and Infrastructure
Surviving Adversity
“Sometime around 6 a.m., my nephew called me and said, ‘Are you still sleeping? THE conflict has started.’ I shouted at my children to turn on the television to watch the news. I never thought I would experience something like this at my age. It was a terrifying...
StoriesJordanHealth and Nutrition
Health Improvement Journey
"We lost everything, our home and farm, therefore I left everything behind me. I carry hope to have a better place for me and for my family," Fozeh said, her voice heavy with the weight of displacement but her spirit resilient with the promise of a brighter future....
StoriesMadagascarWater, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)Women & Children
Fetching water, a burden for women
In the struggle of finding clean water, women bear the heaviest load "In addition to my duties as a single mother, I have to fetch water three hours away every day," shares Farasoa, a 38-year-old divorcee raising seven children in the Fokontany of Ambory...
StoriesYemenHealth and Nutrition
From a shack to a health unit
Following nearly a decade of conflict in Yemen, the country has experienced a partial collapse of an already fragile public infrastructure, leaving approximately 66 percent of the population in dire need of humanitarian assistance. Yemen’s healthcare system has...