From fragile to thriving: saving Rokshana’s baby twins

Above: A Save the Children healthcare worker holds one of Rokshana's twins. Photo: Rashna Sharmin Keya, Save the Children

Watching her newborn twins grapple with the simple act of breathing and hearing their cries for nourishment she couldn't provide, Rohingya mother Rokshana* battled her feelings of inadequacy. 

"Allah granted me not one, but two, lives to nurture, yet their struggle to breathe fades my joy of motherhood. In my despair, I found myself praying for their release from this suffering," she says, her voice heavy with sorrow.

Rokshana’s babies were born into the harsh reality of a Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh. The twins' struggle for life began immediately, their fragile bodies fighting for each breath. Rokshana, blamed for their plight, faced immense social barriers to accessing the care that she, and her new arrivals, desperately needed, due to cultural and familial constraints.

However, her maternal instinct propelled her to challenge these norms.

Her perseverance led her to find Save the Children’s Australian-funded hospital, a beacon of hope within the Rohingya settlement. There she met a doctor who offered empathy and understanding, as well as expert medical advice. The doctor arranged for a healthcare worker to visit Rokshana at home, breaking down the isolation imposed by her circumstances.

This healthcare worker, a bridge to the world outside, supported Rokshana.

"He visited daily, teaching me how to care for my children, becoming a pillar of support," Rokshana recalls.

The workers’ commitment and advice, coupled with her husband's reluctant but eventual support, eventually led the family to a female doctor whose guidance would become a turning point for the twins.

Under the care of this dedicated physician and with the support of Save the Children’s health programming, also funded through the Australian Humanitarian Partnership, Rokshana's children survived and slowly began to thrive. Child Protection, Health, and Nutrition teams worked collectively to provide a network of support that helped the family identify the issues the twins faced and receive lifesaving support.

The once fragile twins grew more muscular, their breathing became steadier, and their cries for food were met.

Rokshana's journey from despair to hope shows her resilience, the impact of compassionate care, and the critical role of female healthcare providers in overcoming social barriers.

As her children now face the future, against the odds, Rokshana's story underscores the ongoing challenges and the relentless efforts of those working to ensure every child's right to health and safety in a world fraught with uncertainties, and the critical importance of access to appropriate health services at every stage of life.

*Names changed

Story by Rashna Sharmin Keya, Save the Children Bangladesh