Prisoners of Hope: A story of survival

She fled violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine State. Her village burned, her neighbours scattered. With little more than her children and the hope of survival, she crossed the border into Bangladesh. 

Now, she lives in Cox’s Bazar, the world’s largest refugee camp, trapped in limbo, with no clear path forward. 

Today, the sprawling settlement in Cox’s Bazar holds over 931,000 displaced people, trapped in limbo, stateless and largely forgotten by the outside world. 

In this place of uncertainty, even the most basic needs are a daily struggle. Denied citizenship, prevented from leaving, and forbidden from finding work, her family is entirely dependent on humanitarian assistance to survive.  

Each monsoon brings the threat of disease, flooding, and landslides. Fires, too, can sweep through without warning, destroying what little people have managed to build. 

Survival Was Just the Beginning 

For women like Rumana, every day is a battle — to find enough food, to keep her children safe, to hold her family together. But perhaps the hardest part is the overwhelming sense of hopelessness. 

Unable to return home, and with nowhere else to go, families like hers live in limbo, hoping something, anything, might change. 

At night, Rumana lies awake, wondering if they will ever leave. Surrounded by barbed wire fences and guarded checkpoints, it often feels like there’s no escape. 

Then came a turning point. 

Hope lives on in the Heart of the Camp 

Rumana’s turning point came when she met the Barefoot Counsellors, a grassroots initiative run by our partners in Bangladesh. The programme equips refugee women with practical skills in trauma care, conflict resolution, and emotional support, empowering them to guide others through unimaginable hardship. 

Inspired by the women who helped her, Rumana decided to give back. She trained as a Barefoot Counsellor and began visiting other women in crisis. She listens to their stories of fear, trauma, and loss, because she has lived through it too. And she reminds them: you are not alone. 

She gained the tools to help others, and in doing so, discovered the strength to heal herself. 

Now, she’s a source of strength for others.  

"I hear the voices of the survivors who suffered violence in their communities in Myanmar” says Rumana when asked about her responsibilities as a volunteer. 

As an advocate and community leader, she supports women who, like her, have lived through trauma, loss, and fear. She brings hope and protection where once there was only despair. 

What the future holds for the Rohingya in Cox’s Bazar is still uncertain, but Rumana’s story is a powerful reminder that even in the hardest circumstances, hope and transformation are possible. 

Forgotten by the world. Not by you.  

Rumana found strength, purpose, and hope, but there are more women still waiting for that chance.  

Your donation can give hope to those who’ve lost everything. Together, we can build a network of trusted community leaders who can provide trauma care, protect the most vulnerable, and restore hope in the heart of the camp. 

But more than that, you can remind them that they have not been forgotten, and that there are people in this world who will listen, who are willing to give them the chance they have been waiting for. 

Together, we can turn survival into strength and crisis into community-led recovery.