In 2017, the Ead Samawi Foundation supported the ICRC’s vital humanitarian response in Bangladesh, where hundreds of thousands of people fleeing violence in Myanmar arrived in need of shelter, food, and medical care – particularly in the Cox’s Bazar district. As part of its mandate to assist and protect people affected by armed conflict and violence, the ICRC rapidly scaled up its response, addressing critical needs in healthcare, food assistance, and access to clean water and sanitation. With an influx of displaced people, healthcare facilities in the region were overwhelmed. The ICRC strengthened its support to health centers, ensuring that essential medical services remained available for both displaced communities and host populations. Emergency food distributions were also critical in preventing malnutrition among vulnerable families who had lost everything. Between August and November 2017, the ICRC provided food assistance to more than 55,000 people, such as rice, lentils, and oil, helping them meet their most basic nutritional needs during a time of crisis. Additionally, 13,142 patients received treatment from our mobile health services, over 17,000 benefited from our water, sanitation and hygiene interventions and almost 6,000 people were able to contact their family members through our phone call services. Beyond immediate relief, ensuring access to safe water and sanitation was a top priority to prevent the outbreak of disease in overcrowded makeshift camps. In border areas and near temporary settlements, the ICRC installed and repaired latrines and tube wells, benefiting approximately 16,900 people. By improving hygiene and ensuring clean water supply, these efforts helped reduce the risk of waterborne illnesses. – Majed Samawi