Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh in the refugee camps of Cox’s Bazar, where over a million Rohingya have sought shelter since fleeing violence in Myanmar, education remains a distant dream for many children. Instead of attending school, countless Rohingya boys and girls are forced into labour, engaging in small businesses like selling clothes, running roadside tea stalls, and working in local shops to help their families survive.
A series of photographs from the camps reveal young children managing makeshift clothing shops, carrying goods, and working under harsh conditions. These images serve as undeniable proof of a crisis that continues to worsen, as a lack of resources, funding cuts, and economic hardship push more and more children into work rather than learning.
The Reality of Child Labor in the Camps
The Rohingya refugee crisis has entered its eighth year, yet basic education remains a luxury that many children cannot afford. With the increasing reduction in humanitarian aid, families are left with no choice but to send their children to work in order to afford food and other essentials.
One young boy, no older than 10, was seen managing a small shop selling used clothes. “I wanted to study, but my family needs money for food. My father is sick, and I have to help,” he said. Like him, many other children are seen working in tea stalls, grocery shops, and other small businesses instead of sitting in a classroom.
Most of these children are engaged in informal work, making barely enough to support their families. The lack of access to proper schools, trained teachers, and educational materials in the refugee camps means that even those who wish to study often have no opportunity to do so.
A Future Stolen by Poverty and Neglect
For a community that has already suffered so much, the loss of education for an entire generation of Rohingya children is a tragedy with long-term consequences. Without education, these children have little hope of improving their futures, escaping poverty, or rebuilding their communities in the long run.
Many humanitarian organizations, including the UNHCR and UNICEF, have made efforts to provide learning centers in the camps. However, these initiatives remain limited due to funding shortages and restrictions on formal education for refugees. The current learning centers offer only basic education up to a certain level, leaving older children with no access to further be learning opportunities.
Meanwhile, parents are caught in a painful dilemma choosing between sending their children to informal schools with limited facilities or having them work to ensure the family’s survival. With no sustainable solutions in sight, child labour continues to rise, robbing Rohingya children of their fundamental right to education.
Calls for Urgent Action
Rohingya refugees and humanitarian workers are urging the international community, NGOs, and donor agencies to step up efforts to provide proper education and support for these children. Without urgent intervention, an entire generation will grow up without the knowledge and skills needed to build a better future.
The Rohingya community has already endured decades of persecution and displacement. Now, their children face a future without education, trapped in a cycle of poverty and hardship. If the world remains silent, the crisis will only deepen, leaving these young refugees with little hope for a better tomorrow.
