Shazeda had forgotten the taste of icecream — the simple treat was an unaffordable luxury for her refugee family struggling to survive day-to-day. After attending women’s leadership training and opening a small shop, Shazeda is now a confident entrepreneur — treating herself to her first icecream in years with her earnings.

Save the Children’s primary health clinic in Cox’s Bazar, staffed by compassionate professionals and supported by AHP, has become a trusted place for women in the Rohingya community to seek maternal healthcare, offering a sense of dignity and hope.

This International Women’s Day we’re spotlighting a woman striving to support other women in her work in the Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazaar, Bangladesh.

For men who have grown up in traditional communities, childcare and household chores are seen as the sole responsibility of women. But a program targeting fathers of young children in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, is encouraging men to rethink their long-held beliefs, and to understand the positive impact their involvement can have on gender equality and child development.

Harun, an 11-year-old Rohingya boy with visual impairments, was struggling at his local learning centre, facing challenges with reading and teasing from peers. With specialised support from Save the Children and the Center for Disability and Development, he is now thriving.

Habib was showing signs of developmental delay, worrying his parents. After enrolling him in a Gender Transformative Early Childhood Development Centre, supported through AHP, he is improving his communication and listening skills.

Rokshana's baby twins were struggling to thrive, and their survival was uncertain. Pushing through cultural and social barriers to seek care at a hospital supported by the Australian Government and Save the Children, a mother's determination and access to healthcare has changed the twins' fate.

With the health post in her refugee camp having closed down due to a lack of funds, Nasima started labour with her third child worried about where she could go. Newly expanded health services, supported by AHP and Save the Children, meant she could give birth in safety.

For 16-year-old Kohinoor, community-based child protection and education mechanisms supported by the Australian Humanitarian Partnership response in Bangladesh have empowered her to stand up to her parents and refuse a child marriage.

AHP-funded disaster risk reduction activities in the crowded refugee camps of Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, are supporting livelihoods and reducing the threat of landslides.

Through access to gender-transformative early childhood education in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, children like Ahana are developing holistic social skills and knowledge that will support them for life.

For 20-year-old Farzana, who has a vision disability, learning how to grow produce in a home garden with her mother has opened new pathways for acceptance and financial security.

Girls in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, like 14-year-old Yaesmin are learning to advocate for their rights and protect themselves from GBV and early marriage through the Girls Shine curriculum.

16-year-old Rafiq can now write his name, and is standing up for child rights in his community, after attending a youth club supported through the AHP response in Cox’s Bazar.

Noor and Roshida struggled to get enough water from a distant well for their seven children to stay clean and healthy. Now, an accessible tap stand at their home in Cox’s Bazar is improving their quality of life.

When Omar broke his arm playing sport, his mother, struggling to make ends meet in a Rohingya camp in Bangladesh, didn’t notice the severity of the injury. A child protection worker supported by AHP helped them get medical care.

Nur Mohammad and his wife Mariam grew up in traditional Rohingya households, where the roles of men and women were rigidly defined. After attending workshops supported by AHP and World Vision, they are changing norms at home and in their community.

Livelihoods training, cash grants and market linkages for the host community, and cash for work opportunities for Rohingya refugees, are enabling families to increase their income and strengthen their resilience in Bangladesh.

Sayed Alam didn’t realise just how much attending Community-Based Child Protection Committee meetings, supported by AHP, had changed his views until he found out that his son had eloped with a girl. He acted quickly to stop the marriage.

When Azida’s new husband and in-laws discovered her hearing disability, she was threatened with divorce. With the help of World Vision through AHP, hearing aids have transformed her quality of life.