UNHCR Supporting Cox's Bazar Locals with Community Projects

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and its partners have completed 130 projects so far to support the Cox’s Bazar locals through ''Community Solidarity Projects'' and income generation initiatives.

They have been implementing the projects with the locals of Ukhiya, Teknaf and Cox's Bazar Sadar since 2018.

These projects include support for 95 educational institutions, assistance in the construction of the 19-kilometer HBB Road, and provision of housing for the poorest families.

UNHCR and its partners – Brac and NGO Forum – on Sunday showed several of these recently completed projects to Cox’s Bazar-based journalists.

Also, UNHCR has also been providing livelihood support to around 6,000 vulnerable families in Ukhiya and Teknaf since 2018.

These families are getting support to engage in income-generating activities including homestead vegetable production.

''Vegetable production enables people to be self-sufficient and feed their families, while also enabling them to earn a living. This has never been as important as during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020,'' UNHCR Livelihoods Officer Subrata Kumar Chakrabarty said.

To support access to markets, UNHCR and the Centre for Natural Resource Studies (CNRS) have set up two vegetable collection centers in Teknaf, where producers can bring their produce for sale in the local markets, and a fair price is ensured.

This initiative will develop a strong market chain that will promote sustainable business development services for local poor farmers, especially women, CNRS Project Manager MA Hasan Munna said.