In a continued effort to improve sanitary conditions and promote dignity among displaced Rohingya communities, Acted Bangladesh, with the support of the Crisis and Support Centre – CDCS, has implemented a 13-month project aimed at enhancing hygiene practices and empowering women through skills-building and awareness activities in Cox’s Bazar camp settlement.

Launched in June 2024, the project targets residents of three camps with a focus on female hygiene management and community-based waste management, addressing critical gaps in Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) services.

The densely populated conditions of the 33 Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar pose ongoing public health risks, particularly for women and girls. Social taboos around menstruation and limited access to hygiene materials have left many vulnerable to negative health impacts as well as emotional and social challenges. 

To address this, Acted trained 90 women volunteers in three cycles over three months to produce essential hygiene items to be included as part of Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) and cleaning kit. These included reusable sanitary pads, undergarments, and traditional Rohingya innerwear called “bodoli”, as well as cleaning kits comprising reusable gloves, face masks, and aprons. The items were selected based on community feedback and lessons from previous project phases.