Staying ahead of the storm saves lives
Monsoon storms are not a distant threat. Rohingya families know what’s coming — and they know how devastating it can be.
In Bangladesh, monsoon season lasts from June to September – and every year, it heralds the start of torrential rains. During this time, everything is at risk. The danger extends to homes, vegetable gardens, water infrastructure – but most terrifyingly people’s lives are at stake.
Last year, the monsoon damaged thousands of shelters within days.
Crowded homes in Cox’s Bazar, made from bamboo and tarpaulin, are no match for the wind and heavy rains. Can you imagine sheltering from a storm in a structure so flimsy?
But not only is your home likely to be damaged, if not destroyed, flooding is almost a certainty.
During floods, toilets overflow and paths turn into rivers of waste. The floodwaters bring snakes and insects into your home–as well as damaging your possessions and leaving your food reserves inedible. Staying clean becomes impossible.
But that is not all. The torrential rains pummel the unpaved earth, the ground swells. Walking is now wading…through thick mud. Fears of deadly mudslides grows. News of innocent lives claimed are shared around camp. The dangers stare you in the face each day, challenges multiply. Preparation is vital.
But even if the immediate dangers are avoided, you would know from experience that disease like cholera and dengue are just around the corner. Access to clean drinking water is now just a memory.
And this year, recent funding cuts have dramatically worsened conditions in the camps. Humanitarian organisations have been forced to reduce monthly food rations by more than half. Food rations remain one of the most pressing needs in the camp and thanks to our local partner MUKTI, Cox’s Bazar, we can get one step closer to increasing food security in the camp.
For Shamsun, a small piece of land beside her shelter means everything.
With training and seeds provided by our local partner, MUKTI, Cox’s Bazar, Shamsun learned to grow vegetables in the camp’s harsh conditions. From chilli and spinach to tomatoes and bitter melon, her garden became a source of nutritious food for Shamsun’s three children and a place of calm and dignity after years of displacement. She said:
“I feel happy to work in the garden. We eat the vegetables with our neighbours, and it provides nutrition to my children.’
Families like Shamsun Nahar's work tirelessly to protect and rebuild. Strengthening their shelters and even growing small gardens to feed their children. But each monsoon threatens to undo years of effort.
After heavy rains, home gardens are often among the first things lost. When gardens are destroyed families lose vital nutrition, food insecurity increases and dependence on limited aid grows.
"During storms and floods, water gets in the house destroying our food and belongings, and we suffer.”
After speaking with Shamsun, one thing became very clear: it is not a simple garden. For her, it is her mental getaway; a way of escaping her traumatic past:
“I have dreams of growing more vegetables and want to take care of my garden. I would be happy if I could grow more vegetables in my garden.”
Today, you can prevent Shamsun’s progress from being washed away and help her rebuild after the storms.
Working alongside MUKTI, Cox’s Bazar, a trusted local organisation with deep roots in the camps, we support Rohingya families to rebuild after the rains through:
food growing Training
Practical, hands on guidance and tools that help people grow food in limited space and challenging conditions-even after flooding.
Seed Distribution
Providing seeds so families can replant quickly once the water recedes, restoring access to fresh vegetables
food growing Training
Practical, hands‑on guidance that helps people grow food in limited space and challenging conditions — even after flooding.
Seed Distribution
Providing seeds so families can replant quickly once the water recedes, restoring access to fresh vegetables
In the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh, families survive on far less than the recommended 15 litres of water a day which is needed to stay healthy and safe.
When the monsoon rains come, water systems are damaged or washed away. In hours, entire communities can lose access to clean water.
Dil has lived in the camp for years with her husband and four children. She misses her home every day. In the overcrowded camp, she lives with constant worry about her children’s safety, and about the storms that could destroy their shelter. But one of her hardest battles is water:
“There are 6 people in the family, and I get 6 litres of water. Should I use that water to bathe, and cook, or should I wash clothes with that? I cannot bathe my children because of the scarcity of water, and I need water to do all the necessary things”
Six people. Six litres. Even less than the already inadequate daily average.
And when the monsoon rains damage the camp’s water supply, even that small amount can disappear.
Without enough water, everyday actions become impossible for families in the camps. Washing hands before eating or after using the toilet—one of the simplest and most effective ways to prevent disease—becomes a luxury. In these conditions, diseases like cholera and dengue spread fast. Between June 2024 and January 2025, cholera cases surged, with nearly 40% of those affected being children under five.
Cooking safely becomes another daily risk. Water is needed to clean food, wash utensils, and keep cooking spaces safe. Without it, families are forced to use contaminated water—putting their health at even greater risk.
For Dil, water is survival—and the lack of it touches every part of her life.
Help Turn Recovery into Resilience
The monsoon season is underway, and for Rohingya families, each day brings new risks. Heavy rains continue to threaten shelters, disrupt livelihoods, and strain already limited access to food, healthcare, and safe sanitation.
Your donation today helps communities withstand the impacts of the monsoon while supporting rehabilitation, strengthening resilience, and enabling long-term recovery. With your support, families can protect what they have, rebuild safely, and prepare for the challenges still ahead.
Donate today and help Rohingya families recover.
Rohingya communities are strong. They have supported each other though crisis after crisis.
But now it is our turn to show our support. To tell them, we understand the struggles. We can imagine the fear.
It is now our turn to step in and disrupt this cycle of destruction and reconstruction. We have the power to change this narrative today by providing time-and resources-to prepare. We can give them a chance.
Can you give them that support today?
"It’s encouraging, knowing that people in faraway countries want to help. It gives me some comfort and hope, knowing I am not alone and that support is possible"
Shamsun Nahar
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