Actor and UNICEF Global Goodwill Ambassador Priyanka Chopra has been spending time with Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. With her visit and social media posts, she is trying to draw the attention of the people around the world about the massive crisis. The actress has been in Bangladesh for days and has spent ample amount of time with them learning about their problems. After her visit, Priyanka Chopra met Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence, Ganabhaban, in Dhaka.
During her meeting with the Prime Minister, Priyanka Chopra lauded Bangladesh for giving shelter to over one million Rohingya refugees. Priyanka, who spent three days with the refugees, shared her experience at the Cox Bazaar and how it has been interaction with the kids who are trying to overcome the trauma of violence.
Priyanka Chopra, who has been working for the welfare of the children for the longest time, has been sharing many moments with the refugee kids. In one of her social media posts shared on Thursday, she wrote, “I was quite literally knocked off my feet…a spontaneous, unfiltered moment with these amazing kids, who I spent a couple of hours with laughing and learning. It was as if for those few hours we all forgot where we were, and let ourselves be kids again (me included). One of the last stops on my field visit was at a @unicef Learning Center in the Balukhali Camp. Here, children are given a basic education of math, English, and Burmese through a colorful and engaging curriculum of song, drama, role playing. The age of the children in this classroom ranges between 7-10 years old, and for many of these kids this is their first school experience. There are over 400,000 children at these camps, but currently only 1/3 have access to education because of the lack of space and teachers.
Given everything these kids have been through, their was no shortage of excitement or hope when I asked the kids what they wanted to be when they grow up. Whether it be a journalist, doctor, school teacher, or in the military, receiving an education means they’re getting a chance to create the future they aspire for themselves.
The children are also taught basic hygiene, which is very important in a camp such as this, because of wide spread diseases like cholera and watery diarrhoea. Basics, like how to properly wash your hands, has actually helped to significantly reduce illnesses, and what’s amazing is that these kids go home and teach their parents and siblings the good health practices they’ve learned.
Its initiatives like this that are setting these kids up for a brighter future. As I sit amongst them, singing along, the lyrics have more meaning than ever… “deep in my heart, I still believe, we shall overcome one day! .” I know they will.
For those who’ve asked how they can contribute, here’s the answer… help every child get an education by logging on to www.supportunicef.org #childrenuprooted @unicef @unicefbangladesh.”
On the work front, Priyanka Chopra already has two Hollywood projects- A Kid Like Jake and Isn’t It Romantic. She will be soon returning to India to kickstart Ali Abbas Zafar’s Bharat alongside Salman Khan and Disha Patani.
