Dear <<First Name>>

On behalf of Health and Education for All (HAEFA), we wish you a happy and joyous Eid al-Adha. As we reflect on the distress experienced by us and our families in the past year, it is important to recognize and sympathize with the people who are less fortunate than ourselves. Common Bangladeshi citizens remain jobless due to COVID-19 and struggle each day to put food on the table for their families. On the other hand, the Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar remain stateless people, who are at the highest risk for disease transmission and have a very poor quality of life. In addition, the March Balukhali campfire has left over 45,000 refugees without basic shelter, and hundreds of families have lost a close family member. 

HAEFA works tirelessly for the impoverished Bangladeshi citizens who require COVID-19-based relief services, as well as providing healthcare and essential resources for the struggling Rohingya refugees. As a humble request, I encourage you to donate (using the secure links found at the bottom of this email) whatever amount you can, to support HAEFA’s humanitarian efforts and share this message with family and loved ones. Please continue reading below and review the attached images to learn more about these two drastically affected populations.

                  The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Since 2012, HAEFA has been working to ensure access to free and quality healthcare for the most vulnerable populations. It has also majorly focused on providing resources and healthcare for the underprivileged communities in Bangladesh including - rickshaw pullers, restaurant workers, ready-made garment workers, rohingya refugees and families most affected by COVID-19. Apart from ensuring accessibility to health screenings for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) to the underserved,  HAEFA has additionally provided reproductive health services to women in remote areas; collectively providing free screening and treatment to 30,000 workers across Bangladesh. 

Moreover, the pandemic has also affected numerous families, who remain unaware whether they will be able to provide food to their children or not. Some of them are among our neighbors who may have lost jobs or saw significant reductions in their income due to COVID-19 and its related lockdowns. During the last one year, due to COVID-19 related lockdowns and joblessness, an additional 24.5 million people went below the poverty line in Bangladesh. That's almost 500,000 families who may be starving as the occasion of Eid approaches.

Read More About COVID-19 Related Job Loss and Hunger in Bangladesh: 

https://www.ucanews.com/news/covid-19-spurs-unemployment-and-poverty-in-bangladesh/92936#

https://www.ucanews.com/news/covid-19-fuels-hunger-and-poverty-in-bangladesh/88343

                           Rohingya Refugee Crisis

The Rohingya people are a predominantly Muslim ethnic minority that previously lived in small villages in Myanmar. In early 2017, a mass ethnic cleansing ordered by the Myanmar government forced the Rohingya to evacuate their homes as they were burned to the ground. These refugees relocated to Cox’s Bazar, which is located on the border between Myanmar and Bangladesh. In 2021, 880,000 Rohingya still are stranded in overcrowded refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar without any hope of leaving. Due to the extreme population density and lack of sanitary living conditions, the refugee camps are perpetually at high risk for COVID-19 viral outbreaks. In addition, many Rohingya suffer from underlying health conditions such as hypertension, malnutrition, and diabetes and do not have access to the appropriate medication to treat these chronic illnesses.

On March 22nd of 2021, a devastating fire ravaged the Balukhali refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar and left 45,000 Rohingya homeless again, 560 severely injured, and 15 dead. Many healthcare and essential service facilities including food and water distribution points, learning centers, and women centers were burned beyond repair.

HAEFA medical and support staff have worked directly in the refugee camps from the beginning of the Rohingya mass exodus. Since 2017, HAEFA has provided medical treatment to over 145,000 refugees and plans to expand on the already existing healthcare facilities located in many of the camps. In addition, HAEFA has aided in rebuilding shelters for the now homeless victims of the Balukhali fire, as well as providing medical attention to those who have been badly injured.

Important Updates on COVID-19 and the Rohingya refugees: 

https://www.rescue.org/press-release/covid-19-cases-bangladesh-reach-1-million-causing-major-concern-rohingya-refugees

 

Here is a brief list of how your small donations can make a big impact in the lives of the Rohingya refugees and the Bangladeshi people affected by COVID-19!

                               How to Donate to HAEFA!

We sincerely thank you for your generous contributions and support of these underprivileged people during this  holiday time! Eid Mubarak to all!

The HAEFA Team