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One of the biggest issues currently faced by the Bangladeshi population is food insecurity. COVID-19, record inflation and severe weather events like Cyclone Amphan have devastated families in poverty, exacerbated unemployment and caused basic items to become unaffordable.
For local children, malnutrition is a common and serious threat to their healthy development. Our local partners in Bangladesh are committed to helping vulnerable children thrive by addressing their short and long-term holistic needs.
Compassion’s programs are designed to be adapted to suit the local context. In Bangladesh, the current primary areas of focus for our partners are good nutrition, access to education and protection from child marriage.
Watch the latest video update from Bangladesh below to learn more.
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Thank you for praying for staff, children and families in Bangladesh.
In the northern villages of Bangladesh, the communal pond is a favourite for locals who use its waters to wash clothes, water rice fields and bathe cattle. And for teens such as 15-year-old Basudeb, it’s the only spot to take a dip with friends to find relief from the roasting heat. But since the COVID-19 pandemic hit and social distancing became essential, accessing the once popular communal pond proved to be risky. Read more open_in_new
Please note: Due to the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, some child development centres in Bangladesh may operate differently to abide by local restrictions and guidelines. Local partners continue to meet the urgent needs of the children through home-based care or by meeting in small groups.
Compassion’s program is contextualised across countries and communities, as well as age groups.
Compassion assisted children in Bangladesh typically attend program activities at their local child development centre before school and occasionally on Saturdays. Here is an example of what a typical program day looks like for children in Bangladesh.
8:00am – A time for songs, games and introductions.
10:30am – Break time, when children can play in a safe environment and develop friendships.
11:00am – Social-emotional lessons ranging from conflict resolution to developing healthy self-esteem. Children often come from challenging home environments and are taught social and personal skills.
12:00pm – Lunch and social time. Children generally receive a meal five days a week. The meals typically consist of rice and lentils with vegetables, fish, eggs, chicken or potatoes.
1:00pm – Health lessons, in which children learn practical health and hygiene lessons.
2:00pm – Letter writing and career planning. Older children work with local staff to identify their strengths and interests and set goals for their future.
Children are also encouraged to participate in extracurricular activities, such as singing, dance, drawing and drama. Children play outdoor games such as football, cricket and volleyball. Parents of Compassion assisted children meet once a month to learn a variety of topics.
of people live below the poverty line
of people lack access to basic sanitation
of people over 15 cannot read or write
Bangladesh is one of the world’s most densely populated countries, with more than 164 million people living in a land area roughly two-thirds the size of Victoria. Known as East Pakistan until 1971, Bangladesh is a majority Muslim nation and less than one per cent of the population identifies as Christian.
Poverty remains deep and widespread in Bangladesh. Close to half the population lack access to basic sanitation services, and around 85 per cent live on less than US$5.50 per day. Bangladesh is also regularly affected by heavy monsoonal rains that cause flooding and mass displacement.
Most of the population relies on farming to make a living, with agriculture accounting for almost half of the country’s economy. Major crops include rice, jute and tea. Farming is growing increasingly difficult as rising seas destroy farmland in low-lying areas, inundating and salting the land and making it unfit for crops.
In recent years, urban areas—especially Dhaka, the capital—have experienced a population surge as many rural communities have found life increasingly difficult in their hometowns.
This has led to the growth of urban slums around major cities, as families come looking for safer ground on which to build a home and the prospect of work to build a life. But in these slums, children are more vulnerable to malnutrition, child labour, child marriage, violence, abuse, poor sanitation and pollution.
Yet local partners are at work, serving the children of their communities and sharing a hope more powerful than poverty.
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