To mark International Women’s Day, we hear from seven Bangladeshi and Rohingya women supported by Community Partners International. These women provide essential services to Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi communities in and around Kutupalong Refugee Camp, Bangladesh.
Dr. Montasera Medical Officer
Dr. Montasera is a Bangladeshi doctor and Medical Officer at the health post supported by Community Partners International in Kutupalong Refugee Camp, Bangladesh.
“I help to alleviate suffering, save lives, and protect people’s dignity and the right to health.”
I help provide vital healthcare support to Bangladeshis and Rohingya refugees. These services are fundamental to their well-being. I help to alleviate suffering, save lives, and protect people’s dignity and the right to health.
From childhood, I always wanted to help people in need, and here, I have that opportunity. It’s the most satisfying aspect of my life. My patients are always respectful and give positive feedback, which means a lot to me.
My female patients feel more comfortable visiting a female doctor. They can openly share their circumstances with me, and as a woman, I can better understand their health care needs.
The Rohingya refugee community faces many challenges due to limited resources and opportunities. The focus here is on survival, not development. They have to live with inadequate infrastructure and restricted access to education and employment, which hinder their ability to improve their circumstances. We need to address these root causes to achieve meaningful change.
Gulbahar Hygiene Promotion Volunteer
Gulbahar is a Rohingya Hygiene Promotion Volunteer supported by Community Partners International in Kutupalong Refugee Camp, Bangladesh.
“When I fix problems and community members thank me, it gives me a lot of satisfaction.”
The community I serve needs more knowledge of water safety, sanitation, and hygiene. When I first arrived at the camp, there was a lot of trash in public areas. This unhygienic environment increases health risks for children and community members. I help improve hygiene, raise awareness, and provide supplies to prevent disease. I support women with menstrual hygiene to stay healthy during their periods. I show them how to use sanitary pads and safely dispose of them. I provide hygiene kits to women every six months. These kits include underwear and sanitary pads but don’t cover all of their needs, particularly for women with large families.
When I visit households, they tell me if any of the local bathing facilities, toilets, or waste disposal points are not working or if there are any other problems. I pass on this information to my supervisor, who arranges for repairs as soon as possible. Fixing problems gives me a lot of satisfaction, and community members thank me.
Sweety WASH Community Mobilizer
Sweety is a Bangladeshi Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Community Mobilizer supported by Community Partners International in Kutupalong Refugee Camp, Bangladesh.
“People in this community are sometimes shy, but they are very open with me and treat me like their own.”
I oversee twenty-three volunteers who support health promotion, water quality, and other matters in the camp. If a toilet or bathing facility stops working, they come to me, and I organize repairs. If there are problems, I meet with community members to collect feedback.
People in this community are sometimes shy but very open with me and treat me like their own. This friendly environment gives me a lot of satisfaction and makes me feel that I’m doing my job well.
When I first started this work, many women in the community, particularly adolescent girls, knew very little about periods or menstrual hygiene. This placed them at risk of infections. They didn’t know much about sanitary pads and how to dispose of them safely. Also, the cramped living conditions make it more difficult to live hygienically. The situation is better now that we have been doing monthly education sessions. People spread the word to their neighbors and relatives facing the same problems.
We do face some challenges. We can only provide hygiene kits to women every six months, which is not enough now that they don’t receive support from other sources. Also, we need more menstrual hygiene management facilities. Women don’t want to dispose of their sanitary pads in the regular trash bins, but they feel insecure if they have to travel a long way to a menstrual hygiene facility, particularly at night. It would be great if we could provide more of these facilities.
Sumaiya Midwife
Sumaiya is a Bangladeshi Midwife at the health post supported by Community Partners International in Kutupalong Refugee Camp, Bangladesh.
“My job is to serve pregnant women and newborns. My best achievement is when a healthy mother gives birth to a healthy child.”
I provide prenatal and postnatal care services to help pregnant women and newborns stay healthy. When pregnant women come to the health post, I organize blood tests, help with ultrasounds, and refer them as needed. If they need more advanced care that we can’t provide, I refer them to other facilities. I’m also on hand to assist with emergency cases.
I raise awareness of risk factors and warning signs during pregnancy and for newborns. If women are aware, we can protect their health and reduce maternal and newborn deaths.
I also help women to access family planning services, including oral and injectable contraceptives. I counsel women about intrauterine devices and assist doctors with insertion procedures.
As a midwife, my job is to serve pregnant women and newborns. My best achievement is when a healthy mother gives birth to a healthy child.
Umme Community Health Volunteer
Umme is a Bangladeshi Community Health Volunteer supported by Community Partners International in Kutupalong Refugee Camp, Bangladesh.
“I get most satisfaction knowing that, through my job, the community is healthier and happier.”
I start my day with household visits in my neighborhood. I check on pregnant women and adolescent girls and talk to parents about immunization for their children. I meet women to discuss sexual and reproductive health, menstrual hygiene, family planning, non-communicable diseases, and other matters.
When Rohingya refugees came from Myanmar, they weren’t very aware of immunization, family planning, and menstrual hygiene. Women didn’t know what to eat during pregnancy or what to do after a child was born. They didn’t know where to go for a pregnancy checkup or immunization. So, my work is important because I can convey messages to help women and children stay healthy and maintain good hygiene.
Without this support, many problems would arise in the camp. Women would not be encouraged to give birth in a health facility. Instead, they would give birth at home, which is a higher risk for the mother and child. They wouldn’t be aware of the benefits of immunization and wouldn’t know how to get treatment for things like dengue, diarrhea, and scabies.
When a woman gives birth in the hospital, we give her a hygiene kit. I also help newborns to get their vaccinations. Adolescent girls don’t know what to do when they start their periods. Some wear unhygienic cloths, which can cause disease. I teach them about periods, provide them with hygiene supplies, including sanitary pads, and teach them how to use them.
It makes me happy when people thank me for my work. I am most satisfied when I know that, through my job, the community is healthier and happier.
Shahenur WASH Engineer
Shahenur is a Bangladeshi Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Engineer supported by Community Partners International in Kutupalong Refugee Camp, Bangladesh.
“My work helps safeguard health, prevent waterborne diseases, and improve the overall living conditions for people in the camp.”
I provide essential water, sanitation, and hygiene services to Rohingya refugees, design and install water supply systems, and maintain water and sanitation infrastructure. My work helps safeguard health, prevent waterborne diseases, and improve the overall living conditions for people in the camp.
Without these services, the community would face an increased risk of water contamination and the spread of waterborne diseases. The proper functioning of the water supply and sanitation services would also be compromised.
Adequate sanitation facilities contribute to women’s dignity and safety, especially in contexts where privacy and security are a concern. Proper facilities reduce the risk of harassment or assault. Women or girls feel safer when basic needs like water and sanitation are assured.
Meeting the community’s needs has become more challenging, particularly around water supply. Sometimes, I notice that households can’t get enough water, and the water level decreases daily.
I am happy knowing that my work directly improves the quality of life for refugee communities, particularly when they have access to enough safe water.
Sarmin Medical Assistant
Sarmin is a Bangladeshi Medical Assistant at the health post supported by Community Partners International in Kutupalong Refugee Camp, Bangladesh.
“As a woman, I can build rapport with female patients and provide female-friendly services.”
By working at the health post, I can ensure that Rohingya refugees can access essential medical care they might not otherwise have. That includes meeting their basic health needs and providing preventive health care and health education.
As a woman, I can build rapport with female patients and provide female-friendly services. The Rohingya refugee community is quite conservative. Most female patients don’t want to share their issues with male health workers. They feel more comfortable talking to a woman. I can speak to them easily, diagnose their problems, and ensure they receive proper treatment and recovery. That gives me a lot of satisfaction.
One important task for us is countering misinformation about health. The community has many traditional beliefs, and sometimes, they can be potentially harmful. I spend a lot of time correcting misinformation, but it takes a long time to change people’s minds.
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