Right now, over 500,000 young refugees face crisis upon crisis, their lives at risk and their futures uncertain. But we have the power to help.
Corinne Habel, ChildFund Australia’s Chief Development Officer, recently travelled to Kutupalong refugee camp in Bangladesh. There she met children and young people who dream of a better future for themselves, their families and their communities.
Below Corinne shares more about ChildFund Australia’s work with partner EDUCO to create more safe spaces, and just some of the many extraordinary stories and aspirations of young refugees who continue to fight for their safety and wellbeing.
Basic human needs are not met
“As a mother of four children, visiting the camps was incredibly confronting. Families live on top of each other, overcrowded in temporary shelters constructed with nothing more than some flimsy bamboo and a tarpaulin roof built onto steep, rocky hills. Children sleep, eat and play in a single room with multiple family members, and young people have no privacy. There’s one latrine for every 50 people.
Domestic violence, child labour, early marriage and child exploitation are real threats children face every day. It’s not hard to see why the girls I met consistently listed personal safety as their number one concern.
Formal education and vocational opportunities in the camps are limited, and this hits girls the hardest. Many stop their education when menstruation begins. They are deemed ready for marriage and confined to their shelters.
Breaking the taboos on menstruation
“Menstruation is not a secret thing; it is a natural and healthy bodily process.”
Lily, pictured at the head of the classroom, leads a discussion about menstrual hygiene and management. (ChildFund Australia) Source: ChildFund Australia
Lily’s Story
Having your period can be tough, but it’s extra difficult for girls like Lily* in Cox’s Bazar. Despite her love of learning, Lily was denied access to schooling due to cultural norms that stigmatise periods. Such beliefs not only hindered her studies but also perpetuated harmful misconceptions about menstruation within her community.
ChildFund Australia together with partner EDUCO are helping to change attitudes towards girls’ hygiene and education in the camps. Volunteer staff spoke with Lily and her mum about the ‘dos and don’ts’ of menstruation at their local multi-purpose centre. These learning facilities give girls like Lily access to education around menstruation – and a platform to challenge prevailing norms.
Armed with a deeper understanding of female hygiene, human rights and gender equality, Lily is now on a mission to help educate other girls about menstrual hygiene and management, and the importance of education.
“I dream that I will complete my study and work to raise awareness about the human rights and lives of the people of my community, especially the girls.”
Israt’s Story
Israt, 13, arrived at Kutupalong camp in Cox’s Bazar when she was just six years old. Now, on the threshold of puberty, Israt wants to take greater control of her life the best she can. This has meant learning more about her body and speaking up for her rights. Specifically, what menstrual and personal hygiene management looks like, which, considered a taboo topic in her culture, was never spoken about at home or with friends.
And she has done this as an active member of her camps’ youth club, held at ChildFund-supported multi-purpose centres. Since joining, Israt has learnt about the dos and don’ts when menstruating, leadership skills, as well as empowering other girls in her community to be aware and talk about their health and hygiene.
Today, Israt runs monthly club meetings and various activities, including organising awareness sessions on child rights, protection and gender-based violence. She continues to help dispel misconceptions that girls can’t leave the house, shower, or even go to the kitchen when menstruating.
“Menstruation is not a secret thing; it is a natural and healthy bodily process,” Israt says.
The living conditions are unimaginable
What is it like in these cramped, unhygienic living conditions? Families are battling disease outbreaks and illness with limited access to medical care. Risk of serious uncontrolled fires from cooking are all too common, due to the cramped living conditions and during the monsoon season, floods and landslides threaten people’s makeshift homes and water supply – making life even harder. Add to this, diminishing food rations, increasing hunger and poor nutrition and the outlook for children, young people and their families is bleak.
In spite all of this, the children displayed incredible resilience and aspiration for their futures. I met girls that wanted to be doctors, nurses, pilots and teachers. I also met young women who eagerly and enthusiastically shared their stunning embroidery and sewing projects with me. So proud that they were able to earn some small income to assist their families.
I was incredibly impressed with the groups of young people – both male and female – joining and leading groups to improve their communities by teaching peers, elders and younger children on topics such as the dangers of early marriage and child labour as well as how to stay safe during fires and storms. They envision a better future for themselves, their families and their communities.
Lamia, pictured above, learns how to safely put out a fire as part of disaster training workshops in the camps. (ChildFund Australia) Source: ChildFund Australia
Meet the next generation of leaders
“I want to work as a firefighter and serve my community; I want to save people’s lives.”
Lamia’s Story
Lamia*, 18, belongs to one of the many female-led households in the Cox’s Bazar refugee camp. Since 2017, fires, floods and violence have been part of her everyday life. Because Lamia’s home is composed of just female family members, they are especially vulnerable to gender-based violence and at risk during emergencies. Due to cultural beliefs, women and girls may hesitate to seek help from male community members.
Young refugees like Lamia want to be prepared when disasters occur – to know how to protect themselves and help other women and girls. That’s why ChildFund Australia, alongside our partner, EDUCO, provide community-based disaster management training for young people like Lamia in the camps. By doing so, we can help build their capacity as first responders and improve protection in the camps.
“I want to work as a firefighter and serve my community; I want to save people’s lives,” Lamia says.
Minul’s Story
At just 15, Minul* embodies resilience amidst adversity in the camps. Despite the trauma of displacement, Minul is determined the improve his situation the best he can and effect positive change.
ChildFund and EDUCO’s Adolescent Boys Club are helping to empower boys like Minul by providing a safe space where they can learn and gain important life skills. Minul’s involvement in the club has been transformative. Prior to joining, he wasn’t aware of child rights and protection issues in the camp, including child marriage and labour. Now, equipped with knowledge and confidence gained from club sessions and training workshops, he advocates for the rights and wellbeing of children in his community.
“I have seen the distressing reality of children becoming victims of child marriage and child labour, and it deeply troubles me,” Minul says. “However, as a member of the Adolescent Boys Club, I am now in a position to help stop these harmful practices.
Minul wants to continue to help educate children and young people within his community; he dreams of becoming a poet and Quran teacher.
A place to stay safe—and stay strong
It seems like a simple thing, but these multi-purpose centres and youth clubs are saving lives. They are a safe place where children and young people – the doctors, nurses, teachers and pilots of tomorrow – can learn important and practical life skills, socialise and be safe.
In the face of so much uncertainty, the resilience, hope, and unwavering belief in the potential for change among the young refugees I met was truly extraordinary.”
ChildFund Australia’s Chief Development Officer, Corinne Habel, pictured above, hears from girls about their dreams for the future in Kutupalong refugee camp. (ChildFund Australia) Source: ChildFund Australia
*Names have been changed to protect individuals’ identities.
Sex education may not be a subject many students would choose as their favourite, but it is one of the most important. Here’s how teenagers and teachers in Vietnam are learning how to manage the ups and downs of puberty.
Mood swings, cracking voices, periods, and sex are just some of the natural but sometimes challenging aspects of growing up. Ask any young person, their parents or guardians and teachers, and they’ll tell you the same thing: puberty is a minefield!
Our brains and bodies change massively during adolescence. While the physical and emotional changes affect all young people differently, it’s a transition that every person goes through. They need the right tools, information and support to make informed decisions and develop and maintain healthy lifestyles and relationships.
In Tan Lac district, Hoa Binh province, Vietnam, secondary school students from Years 6-9 are learning how to manage their emotions and talk openly about sexual reproductive health. It’s all part of a ChildFund-supported initiative to improve education around health and wellbeing for teenagers in Vietnam.
According to a 2021 World Health Organisation report, more Vietnamese teenagers are having sex by the age of 14. Yet access to sexual and reproductive health information and services remains limited, especially for those who are ethnic minorities, migrants or living in rural areas. A lack of adequate, comprehensive sexual education and subsequent stigma around talking about sex and sharing reproductive health issues with caregivers and teachers is leading to unsafe behaviours (57.6% of adolescents are having sex without condoms), and health and social consequences.
Of course, creating a thorough and informative curriculum is only half the battle. Convincing already stressed-out teenagers to take on what they may see as ‘more homework? Not for the faint of heart. Thankfully, there are dedicated teachers like Ms. Lua and Ms. Sam who are helping young students see the value in learning about self-care and feel empowered to take control over their health and wellbeing.
Changing teens’ attitudes towards sex education—all in a day’s work
Dan, 14, a Year 9 secondary school student, had doubts when she first heard about the project. “The training will give me nothing, just more work”, was her initial thought. However, after Ms. Lua, her teacher, explained the roles, responsibilities and benefits of participation, Dan and her friends Nhu and Bich (both 14) decided to join the core group of students participating in the project.
It wasn’t long before she changed her mind about the health and wellbeing-focused classes. Dan says that she and her friends have since learnt a lot about themselves and how to protect their rights (topics included negotiation and refusal skills and how to ask for help).
“The lectures the teachers gave helped us learn a lot about psychological changes during puberty to help us know how to take care of ourselves and keep ourselves safe. I learnt more about my period and can now maintain better menstrual hygiene,” says Dan.
“My friends and I also understand more clearly the harm and consequences of having sex at a young age without safety measures. We can determine our values, manage our emotions and cope with stress and anxiety.”
Dan (centre) leading a discussion about physiological and psychological changes during puberty.
My friends and I also understand more clearly the harm and consequences of having sex at a young age without safety measures. We can determine our values, manage our emotions and cope with stress and anxiety.
Dan, 14
Dan says the practical advice they received from these lectures has been particularly beneficial. Her friend, Bich, is prone to experiencing a lot of anger, which affects her friendships. Since participating in the project, Bich has been more in touch with her emotions. She has learnt to recognise when she is frustrated and now knows that talking to friends or teachers, practising breathing exercises or singing her favourite song can help her feel better.
Throughout the training, game-based activities and an emphasis on creating a safe and non-judgmental space to share experiences and feelings were vital to getting students to open up and learn more effectively. Dan says she and her friends have become closer and plan on sharing their newfound knowledge and skills with classmates.
“My friends and I feel lucky and happy to have participated in the training sessions and learn so many interesting things. What I have learnt can help more students understand themselves and their friends.”
Teachers and students are learning together
I had previously organised a few extracurricular sessions with students on reproductive health knowledge such as menstruation, signs of pregnancy, some sexually transmitted diseases, and contraceptive methods, but they weren’t that effective.
Ms. Sam, Year 9 Teacher
Providing secondary students with the knowledge, resources, and support to develop social skills and make informed decisions about their reproductive health is critical to tackling potential risky behaviours among young people in Vietnam. Yet, without a robust curriculum or tools to effectively convey important information, teachers in Tan Lac district, like Ms. Sam, struggled to engage students.
“I had previously organised a few extracurricular sessions with students on reproductive health knowledge such as menstruation, signs of pregnancy, some sexually transmitted diseases, and contraceptive methods, but they weren’t that effective,” she says.
The curriculum was missing important information, and Ms. Sam had knowledge gaps.
“I would talk to students about preventing pregnancy using condoms or emergency contraceptive pills, but I did not share about the dosage of contraceptives. Since I’ve never used the pills before, I hadn’t researched their effects, and it wasn’t in the curriculum.”
As a Year 9 teacher, Ms. Sam has seen first-hand the impact unsafe sexual behaviours can have on students. She says the trend towards young people having sex at an early age is a growing concern for teachers in the region, with more and more students dropping out of school due to early and unintended pregnancies. In some cases, young girls are seeking to terminate their pregnancy in unlicensed abortion clinics, potentially putting their lives at risk. (According to a UN estimate, Vietnam has one of the highest abortion rates in the world.) Both scenarios can have a considerable impact not only on girls’ physical and mental health but also on their future wellbeing.
Ms. Sam (centre) leading a group discussion in a training session on Sexual Reproductive Health for teachers in Tan Lac district, Hoa Binh province, Vietnam. She puts what she has learnt into practice, below.
So, when the opportunity to be part of the solution presented itself, Ms. Sam grabbed it and didn’t look back. Last year, she participated in a ChildFund-supported training for secondary school teachers on sexual reproductive health knowledge and how to deliver it effectively to students.
Before the training, Ms. Sam’s lessons were missing crucial topics and information. For instance, only two sexually transmitted diseases were taught (syphilis and gonorrhoea). But thanks to new, comprehensive, and more interactive teaching materials, she has been able to capture – and hold – their attention. Short videos and educational games like crosswords have been particularly effective in not only conveying reproductive health knowledge but in helping to strengthen communication and build trust between Ms. Sam and her students, as well as between students.
Son, 14, a student of Ms. Sam, spoke highly about the new teaching style and lessons. “Ms. Sam uses many different methods to teach, but in lessons on reproductive health, she uses videos and images to explain to us, which makes us more comfortable and feel less embarrassed than if she just asked us to answer directly.”
Ms. Sam uses many different methods to teach, but in lessons on reproductive health, she uses videos and images to explain to us, which makes us more comfortable and feel less embarrassed than if she just asked us to answer directly.
Son, 14, a student of Ms. Sam
An improved curriculum has helped both teachers and students learn more about sexual health and wellbeing, including how to have consensual relationships. Ms. Sam says she is eager to build upon what she has learnt from the training program to help her students navigate this tricky period safely.
“I will continue to research and apply knowledge of other topics to lessons and classroom activities. I will also include more group discussions to increase student involvement.”
For teens and teachers, knowledge is power
ChildFund-supported sexual reproductive health trainings for secondary school teachers in Vietnam, and a new health and wellbeing curriculum is helping teens navigate the ups and downs of puberty. Students are gaining vital knowledge and life skills to manage new experiences, feelings and situations. They even feel more comfortable asking ‘embarrassing’ questions—a small step for teens, a giant leap for teacher-kind!
