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Helping the fleeing Rohingya people – Swiss Solidarity appeals for donations

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya have fled violence in Myanmar and sought refuge in Bangladesh. The humanitarian situation in the reception camps has reached catastrophic proportions. Several partner NGOs have already dispatched emergency response teams to organise humanitarian assistance and handle the most urgent needs. To fund this assistance, Swiss Solidarity is launching a call for donations.

For the past month, members of the Rohingya community have been crossing the border between Myanmar (also known as Burma) and Bangladesh by the thousands. According to the latest UN estimates, the number of displaced Rohingya currently exceeds 400,000. Carrying nothing but their meagre personal belongings, they are fleeing their torched villages in the northern Rakhine State, which has recently seen an explosion of violence, and are struggling just to survive.

In refugee camps across the border in Bangladesh, food and water are scarce. People, most of whom are without shelter, also lack access to drinking water and toilets. Furthermore, they desperately need tents, hygiene kits, medical care and psychological support. According to recent estimates, over 300,000 Rohingya were already living in Bangladesh before the latest wave of refugees arrived. The deplorable humanitarian situation in these overcrowded camps is worsening every day as the region is drenched by torrential rainfall. And once the monsoon season ends in October, winter will follow. Time is running out.

How to donate

Donations may be made anytime either directly online at www.swiss-solidarity.org, via the Swiss Solidarity app or through postal account 10-15000-6 (mention “Rohingya”). Swiss Solidarity payment slips are available at all post offices in Switzerland.