Bangladesh-based international development organisation BRAC has initiated a programme for protection as well as the mental growth of Rohingya children and host communities amid Covid-19.
Speakers disclosed this at a workshop at a hotel in Cox’s Bazar district town.
The information was disclosed at a recent event, titled ‘Lesson Learn Workshop’, organised by the Child Protection Sector under Humanitarian Crisis Management Programme (HCMP) of BRAC in Cox’s Bazar district, according to a press release.
The workshop was held for evaluation regarding the achievement of child protection and chalking out future steps for achieving the objective in the next year (2022).
Hasina Akhter Huq, Area Director of HCMP of BRAC; Roberts Sila Muthini, Programme Head of HCMP; Syeda Sazia Zaman, Programme Head of BRAC IED; Riffat Jahan Nahreen, Team Lead of Child Protection Sector under HCMP; and others spoke at the event.
Fakhrul Alam, Field Operations Manager of Child Protection Sector under HCMP; Kamrul Hasan, Senior Sector Specialist; and Shahana Akter, Project Manager of the same programme; moderated the event at different sessions.
Known as Play Lab at local community and Humanitarian Play Lab at Rohingya community, BRAC’s programme is being conducted through the involvement of children (aged 0-6) and their mothers to help the mental growth of children through toys and play.
Children are also getting psychological support and psychological first aid.
The speakers at the workshop stressed the early growth of children, and to take fathers’ engagement, calling for further strengthening the ongoing research activities in this regard.
The workshop was informed that such service through Humanitarian Play Lab (HPL) is being provided for 38,856 children of Rohingyas at 29 camps in Teknaf and Ukhiya Upazilas of Cox’s Bazar.
Besides, 3000 children of the host community are receiving the service through Play Lab at 100 primary schools in Teknaf, Ukhiya, Ramu and Sadar Upazilas in Cox’s Bazar with the government’s support.
BRAC is providing the service under a project, financed by Sesame Workshop, a USA-based international organisation. Aimed at protecting children, the five-year-long project will end in 2023.
