Promotion of Community-led Improvement of Living Environment in Camps for Displaced Persons from Myanmar and the Host Communities in Cox Bazar, Bangladesh

The “JPF-8” project, implemented by Save the Children, focused on enhancing safe, inclusive, and resilient WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) services across four Rohingya refugee camps (17, 20, 25, and 27) and surrounding host communities in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. The project aimed to strengthen hygiene practices, ensure infrastructure maintenance, promote the use of renewable energy in water supply systems, and enhance disaster preparedness through emergency WASH support. Special emphasis was placed on empowering women through technical training in shelter construction and WASH facility maintenance, alongside inclusive support for people with disabilities and mainstreaming gender and child safeguarding across all activities.

To assess outcomes, a mixed-method evaluation was conducted, involving both quantitative and qualitative data. The outcome assessment revealed that 94% of households demonstrated appropriate hygiene practices, with a balanced gender split (female: 96%, male: 92%). Furthermore, 92% of adolescent girls could confidently make reusable sanitary pads following menstrual hygiene sessions. Despite this success, challenges remain, particularly in household waste management, prompting recommendations for enhanced awareness sessions in future phases.

In terms of capacity building, 91% of WASH committee members (both male and female) showed improved knowledge in facility repair and maintenance after refresher trainings, although some lacked practical confidence. The shelter component saw notable achievement, with 95% of 60 trained refugees passing post-training assessments on disaster risk reduction (DRR), climate change, and shelter construction. Female participants (40 out of 60) gained valuable skills, contributing to greater economic empowerment and dignity in camp life.

Overall, the project effectively improved hygiene behaviors, built community capacity, and promoted gender-responsive, inclusive, and sustainable WASH and shelter practices. Continuous community engagement, technical follow-up, and targeted awareness initiatives are recommended to build on these achievements in subsequent project phases.