“Rohingya Realities; Rohingya Futures” - Winners of Oxfam’s 2020 Art Competition

Azad is a 25-year-old Rohingya photographer from Rakhine State, Myanmar. He was formerly living in Cox’s Bazar but has now been granted refugee status in Germany.

“A Rohingya refugee is eating ice on the roadside at Kutupalong camp in Cox’s Bazar—in search of a better future. The boy is eating ice with the feeling that it is ice cream. By seeing his face, you can read his sorrow and difficulties. He looked sad but was still trying to survive as a normal boy like others.”

“My inspiration was that if these refugees were any other children, they would be in school or enjoying time with their parents.  Children at this age should have nothing to worry about but, in our community, being refugees for more than three years now...our children have lost their future and they are trying to survive enough for a daily meal. There is no education for them, no secure life for them, no good care for them.”

This poet requested that his work be published under the pen name ‘Quick Learner’. He is 23 years old and lives in Rakhine State, Myanmar.

“I wrote this poem in November 2019. Being a Rohingya, I face discrimination everywhere in Myanmar, where we can’t enjoy our rights like other communities. I describe the daily struggles and challenges we face. On behalf of my Rohingya community, I wrote this poem to let the world know how we are surviving in Arakan. I truly believe that poetry can change society—this is why I choose a poem to share this message to all people around the globe.

Myo Thway is a 21-year-old poet living in Rakhine State, Myanmar.  

“I wrote this poem to let the world know how our life is in Arakan -our native land. I was born in Buthidaung Township, Myanmar, but I am still without citizenship. Since childhood I have faced many difficulties. In my life enjoyments are rare, regrets are many, and lovers are less than haters. I have so many dreams that are left unfulfilled due to restrictions of the government. I have been writing poetry for a few years to let people know my situation all over the world. I believe poetry can bring peace. My poems are my life and my inner feelings.” 

Mayyu Khan is a 19-year-old artist living in the refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. He was born in Rathedaung Township in northern Rakhine state.  

“In the world's largest and most overcrowded refugee camp in Cox's Bazar there are many hundreds of thousands of children, elderly and women living together. The weather here is diverse and we are seeing the results of climate change, the temperatures are rising, and we are experiencing more heavy rain in the camps. The refugees living here are mentally broken because the repatriation process has stopped, and they are unable to return to their homes.  Women face critical challenges.  Rohingya youth are becoming a lost generation living in the camps and older Rohingya people are very worried about their futures. This is what the older woman in the artwork feels while looking out over the camps. The modern world doesn't feel our reality. They don't understand our language.  I am inspired to draw artwork from people who are unable to speak and express themselves.”

“Being a refugee, I am banned from formal education. I'm a victim of many tortures and a member of the lost generation of Rohingya. When I express my stories then they become poetry and when I sketch my stories then they become artworks. My situation has made me a poet and artist.  I am hungry for my rights and thirsty for my freedom.”

Boshir Ullah is a musician living in the refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. He is originally from Maungdaw Township in Rakhine State, Myanmar. Boshir started playing mandolin and flute when he was 13 years old. Now he works as an artist and plays mandolin to help heal and entertain people, with the aim of helping them overcome the trauma of August 2017.

Mohammed Ershad is an artist. He is 30 years old and currently lives in the refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. 

“A Rohingya child flies a kite in the open blue sky. The fun of their childhood in Myanmar has come alive again in Bangladesh. Through flying the colored kite, the child would like to speak and share their colorful life in the camp. Rohingya children play in the available spaces in the camps. They have many expectations, dreams, hopes and ambitions. The radiant kite will fly freely. It is not tied with rope.”

_{This artwork was submitted with support from the Community Outreach Members of ActionAid Bangladesh’s ‘Community-Based Protection Project’ project supported by UNHCR, which provides community members in the Cox’s Bazar camps with art supplies and training.} 

Sajide Begum is a 31-year-old artist living in the refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar. She and her daughter, along with other women in their community, do stitch work (embroidery) in their leisure time. 

“As a woman in the Rohingya community, we have to stay at home most of the time. Men go outside for work while we stay inside. After completing household work, we do handicrafts to pass the time and also help contribute to our family’s income.” 

_{This artwork was submitted with support from the Community Outreach Members of ActionAid Bangladesh’s ‘Community-Based Protection Project’ project supported by UNHCR, which provides community members in the Cox’s Bazar camps with art supplies and training.} 

Jesmin, age 13, and Husana, age 14, live in the refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar Bangladesh.

The artists, Jesmin and Husana, drew these embroidery patterns and illustrations to show what refugee girls in the camps are doing during their free time. Stitchwork keeps them active and allows them to make showpieces, which they can sell. During the pandemic, they are also using their talents to make masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The art shows traditional flower patterns and needlepoint and this work illustrates the often unseen role adolescent girls are playing in preventing the spread of COVID-19 in the refugee camps. 

_{This artwork was submitted with support from the Community Outreach Members of ActionAid Bangladesh’s ‘Community-Based Protection Project’ project supported by UNHCR, which provides community members in the Cox’s Bazar camps with art supplies and training.} 

Osman Goni is a 25-year-old musician living in Kutupalong Refugee Camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. “I have been living in Kutupalong Refugee Camp. I’m the youngest son in my family because my father passed away when I was five years old. I started school in the refugee camp, and I try to sing with school friends. I attended music events in the camp and decided to learn how to play the flute and mandolin.”

“Most of the people are illiterate in my community, so this song is for those who don’t know about COVID-19. After seeing this song, they will be able to protect themself from Coronavirus.” 

_{The song was written and performed by Osman at the request of Omar Faruque, co-founder of Omar’s Film School, a camp-based initiative which works to train Rohingya youth in photography and videography. Saidul Hoque and the Omar’s Film School team recorded the video.} 

Parmin Fatema is a poet. She lives in the refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh and is originally from northern Rakhine in Myanmar. She volunteered as a female team leader for two years with a humanitarian agency and currently studies at the Asian University for Women.

“I create art to share my feelings, my opinions about my people, and to share what is happening to my community. In this poem, the feelings, lines and stanzas I have written are based on the reality of our Rohingya community and the future we hope for. I expressed how women Rohingya refugees are facing difficulties and how they feel unsafe surviving this refugee life. Most importantly I showed how the Rohingya women hope and dream for the future.”

Ro Pacifist (pen name) is a poet. He is 23 years old and lives in the refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh.

“I'm a Rohingya youth from Myanmar currently surviving in the refugee camps of Bangladesh. I work as a humanitarian aid worker and I teach English language to hundreds of Rohingya students whose access to education is restricted. I love to make written artwork in my free time such as poetry, essays, and historical memoirs about my past and about my Rohingya community. It has become such a hobby of mine that nothing except writing poems and poetry can relieve my stress and sadness.” 

“My friends, my teachers, and my seniors are always encouraging me by showing their appreciation for my writing. So, both my circumstances and my community inspire and motivate me to keep writing more and more.”