Bangladesh
Bangladesh is described as the most densely populated country in the world. It’s also one of the poorest: almost half of its 147 million people live below the poverty line and more than 20,000 women die each year due to pregnancy-related complications.
Bangladesh is on an extremely vulnerable flood plain: millions of tonnes of water pour down from the melting snows of the Himalayan Mountains every spring. The constant flooding and cyclones have a devastating effect on health and the local economy. In 1970 the Bhola cyclone killed almost 1 million people. In 1998 flooding covered two thirds of the country and made over 30 million people homeless.
In 2004 Bangladesh suffered one of the worst floods ever to hit the country, with nearly two thirds of the country submerged in water. Human Appeal International reacted quickly, working with local partner organisations to provide emergency relief to the victims and their families.
Approx 50% of the children under the age of five are malnourished and only around fifty percent of the children complete their basic education. 59% of people in Bangladesh cannot read or write.
Human Appeal International in Bangladesh
We have programmes running throughout the year in Bangladesh, especially during sacred months with Ramadan food parcels, Qurbani meat, and Eid gifts for children. The happiness this brings the orphans and poor is truly heart-warming.
We have recently completed building an Orphan Centre for over 250 orphans in district of Bhola in the south of Bangladesh. This provides a modern education system combined with classical and traditional elements, accommodation, food and occupational training to help the orphans be in a better position to earn a livelihood.