Project Overview

• Project Name: ICRC Humanitarian Response in Bangladesh
• Timeline: 2017
• Location: Bangladesh, primarily Cox’s Bazar district
• Partner Organization: International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
• Crisis Context: Mass displacement of people fleeing violence in Myanmar
• Population: Hundreds of thousands of displaced people requiring emergency assistance

Crisis Background

Displacement Crisis (2017)

• Origin: People fleeing violence in Myanmar
• Destination: Bangladesh, concentrated in Cox’s Bazar district
• Scale: Hundreds of thousands of displaced persons
• Needs: Emergency shelter, food, medical care, water, sanitation
• Timeline: Major influx period with peak emergency response

Humanitarian Challenges

• Healthcare System: Medical facilities overwhelmed by population influx
• Food Security: Vulnerable families facing malnutrition risk
• Water and Sanitation: Disease outbreak prevention in overcrowded camps
• Family Separation: Communication needs for displaced families

Program Components

1. Food Assistance Program

• Timeline: August to November 2017
• Beneficiaries: More than 55,000 people
• Food Items Distributed:
  • Rice
  • Lentils
  • Oil
• Objective: Meet basic nutritional needs and prevent malnutrition
• Target: Vulnerable families who had lost everything

2. Mobile Health Services

• Patients Treated: 13,142 individuals
• Service Type: Mobile medical care delivery
• Coverage: Both displaced communities and host populations
• Approach: Strengthened support to existing health centers
• Goal: Maintain essential medical service availability

3. Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)

• Direct Beneficiaries: Over 17,000 people from WASH interventions
• Infrastructure Beneficiaries: Approximately 16,900 people from latrine and tube well installations
• Services:
  • Latrine installation and repair
  • Tube well installation and maintenance
  • Hygiene promotion programs
• Locations: Border areas and temporary settlements
• Objective: Prevent waterborne disease outbreaks

4. Family Communication Services

• Beneficiaries: Almost 6,000 people
• Service Type: Phone call services for family contact
• Purpose: Help displaced people reconnect with separated family members
• Importance: Address psychological needs and family reunification

Geographic Focus

Primary Location

• Country: Bangladesh
• Primary District: Cox’s Bazar
• Service Areas: Border areas and temporary settlements
• Population Type: Displaced persons from Myanmar and host communities

Settlement Context

• Camp Type: Makeshift camps and temporary settlements
• Population Density: Overcrowded conditions
• Infrastructure: Limited existing facilities requiring emergency support
• Geographic Challenges: Border location with rapid population influx

Beneficiary Demographics

Total Population Served

• Food Assistance: 55,000+ people
• Medical Services: 13,142 patients
• WASH Services: 17,000+ people
• Infrastructure (WASH): 16,900 people
• Communication Services: 6,000 people
• Overall: Hundreds of thousands in emergency response area

Population Composition

• Displaced Persons: People fleeing violence in Myanmar
• Host Communities: Local Bangladeshi populations in affected areas
• Vulnerable Groups: Families who lost possessions, separated families
• Geographic Origin: Myanmar (displaced population)

Implementation Strategy

ICRC Response Approach

• Rapid Scale-Up: Quick expansion of operations to meet emergency needs
• Multi-Sector Response: Simultaneous healthcare, food, WASH, and communication services
• Community Integration: Supporting both displaced and host populations
• Infrastructure Focus: Installation and repair of essential facilities

Service Delivery Model

• Mobile Services: Bringing healthcare directly to affected populations
• Distribution Networks: Emergency food distribution systems
• Infrastructure Development: Installing essential WASH facilities
• Communication Facilitation: Enabling family contact services

Funding and Partnership

Ead Samawi Foundation Role

• Support Year: 2017
• Function: Financial backing for ICRC emergency response
• Representative: Majed Samawi (project spokesperson)
• Scope: Multi-sector humanitarian assistance support

Implementing Partner

• Organization: International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
• Mandate: Assist and protect people affected by armed conflict and violence
• Expertise: Emergency response and humanitarian service delivery
• Operational Capacity: Rapid scale-up for mass displacement situations

Project Impact

Immediate Emergency Response

• Food Security: Prevented malnutrition among 55,000+ vulnerable people
• Healthcare Access: Maintained medical services for over 13,000 patients
• Disease Prevention: WASH services protected 17,000+ people from waterborne illness
• Family Reunification: Communication services for 6,000 people

Public Health Outcomes

• Disease Prevention: Reduced risk of waterborne illness outbreaks
• Nutrition Support: Basic nutritional needs met during crisis period
• Healthcare Continuity: Essential medical services maintained despite system strain
• Hygiene Improvement: Enhanced sanitation in overcrowded settlements

Timeline and Duration

Emergency Response Period

• Primary Response: 2017
• Food Distribution: August to November 2017 (4-month intensive period)
• Medical Services: Ongoing throughout 2017 response period
• WASH Infrastructure: Installation and repair during peak displacement
• Communication Services: Continuous availability during emergency phase

Strategic Significance

Humanitarian Impact

• Scale: Multi-sector response serving hundreds of thousands
• Speed: Rapid scale-up to address emergency displacement
• Integration: Combined displaced person and host community support
• Prevention: Disease outbreak prevention in high-risk environment

Response Model

• Multi-Sector Approach: Simultaneous food, health, WASH, and communication services
• Infrastructure Focus: Essential facility installation alongside service delivery
• Community Coverage: Both emergency-affected and host populations served
• Communication Priority: Recognition of family separation trauma and needs

This project represents a comprehensive emergency humanitarian response to one of the largest displacement crises in the region, providing multi-sector assistance to hundreds of thousands of displaced persons and host communities in Bangladesh.