‘Give us an opportunity’: Rohingya children urge Duchess of Edinburgh to help them pursue their dreams

Résumé détaillé

During her visit to Cox’s Bazar camps, Sophie Helen Rhys-Jones hears calls for higher education, better healthcare and livelihood opportunities as UK reaffirms its humanitarian commitment

Mohammad Obaid, a class 6 Rohingya student, has a simple ambition -- to become an engineer and return to help his community. But with no access to higher education, he fears his dream may remain out of reach.

“Please give me and students like me an opportunity. If I get an opportunity, I will become an engineer and come back to my community to help them,” he told Sophie Helen Rhys-Jones, Duchess of Edinburgh, during her visit to a learning centre in Ukhiya of Cox’s Bazar today.

Obaid was among several Rohingya children who shared their aspirations and educational challenges with the visiting royal at a UNICEF-supported CODEC Learning Centre in Camp 18.

Asked about their difficulties, Obaid said Rohingya students could not attend colleges or universities, despite continuing to study science, mathematics and English. He said he prepared his lessons every day in the hope of fulfilling his ambition.

Another student, Hamida, said she wanted to become a doctor because her camp lacked female medical professionals, particularly for maternity care. Other children spoke of becoming teachers and the importance of education in helping them make friends and learn.

The Duchess praised the children as “very gifted and clever students” and stressed the importance of allowing them to continue their education.

UNICEF Education Officer Anika Tanjim briefed her on the challenges, including children having to walk 20 to 30 minutes to reach learning centres, making regular attendance particularly difficult for girls.

The Duchess also visited a soap factory employing Rohingya refugees and members of the host community. Workers said their earnings had helped support their families, including their children's education, while women from both communities worked together like one family.

She later visited centres supporting Rohingya women and people with disabilities, where she spoke to beneficiaries about their experiences and livelihoods.

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