UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Orlando Bloom Visits Rohingya Refugee Camps in Bangladesh
Orlando Bloom, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, traveled to Bangladesh to witness the impact of severe cuts in official development assistance (ODA) on the half a million children living in the Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar.
Funding Cuts Threaten Children’s Education and Well-being
Bloom’s four-day visit included meetings with children, families, and aid workers to assess the challenges posed by shrinking international aid. These cuts jeopardize children's education, health, protection, and survival in the world’s largest refugee camps.
“The children in these camps are 100 per cent dependent on aid, but that aid is sadly shrinking,” said Bloom.
He recounted meeting 14-year-old Aziz, who aspires to become an engineer to develop a drone that could raise global awareness about the needs of Rohingya children.
“I met 14-year-old Aziz who told me he dreamed of becoming an engineer so that he could build a drone to show the world how much help Rohingya children need. These children need an education in order to have a future.”
Alarming Education Crisis in 2026
- In June 2025, UNICEF had to close most schools in the camps temporarily because of funding shortages, impacting nearly 150,000 children.
- Although fundraising efforts allowed children in all grades to resume learning recently, further funding shortages expected in early 2026 risk shutting down all schools again.
- This would leave more than 300,000 children without access to education, threatening their futures.
This funding crisis poses a severe threat to Rohingya children's right to education and overall well-being.
“More than 300,000 children risk losing access to education in 2026 with even more cuts to global funding expected.”
Author’s summary: Significant funding cuts are putting the futures of over 300,000 Rohingya refugee children at risk, with education access threatened by possible school closures in 2026.