The Rohingya are a Muslim ethnic minority who have lived in Myanmar for many generations. Despite that, they are not recognized as an official ethnic group and have been denied citizenship, making them the world’s largest stateless population. Following serious human rights violations and violent military crackdowns in Myanmar’s Rakhine State in August 2017, over 750,000 Rohingya fled to Bangladesh and joined the previous waves of Rohingya refugees who fled the country in the 1970s and 1990s. Today, nearly one million Rohingya refugees live in Bangladesh. A majority of them live in the Cox’s Bazar region, which is home to Kutupalong, the world’s largest refugee camp (UNHCR, 2023).
When Businesses Empower Refugees: A look at Chobani’s Leadership
After picking up my biweekly bottle of cold brew and vanilla coffee creamer, I love to grab a healthy assortment of my favorite snack—Chobani Flips. While Almond Coco Loco is my go-to flavor, this is not a tour of delectable yogurt varieties. Instead, this is a brief into Chobani’s company leadership and how its founder, Hamdi Ulukaya, flipped the script when he made refugee empowerment a central pillar in Chobani’s ethos and people-first character.
From hiring practices to global partnerships for refugee goals, Chobani pens a collective call to businesses worldwide and encourages organizations to take a stake in the economic integration and welfare of refugees everywhere.
Dear America, Treat Your Immigrants Right
People all over the world are fleeing persecution, escaping dangerous conditions, or looking for opportunities for a brighter future but are daunted by country quotas, legal restrictions, and bureaucracy. What happened to empathy and humanity in our global community? The United States, specifically, has failed its migrants and incoming refugees despite being defined by immigrants and praising itself as a welcoming nation capable of giving everyone ‘the American Dream.’ Due to an outdated and broken immigration system that politicians have no goal to fix long-term, our society isn’t equipped to deal with challenges that immigrants face every day.
To become a citizen in the United States, a person must have…
Food Insecurity in Refugee Camps
Due to political unrest, environmental catastrophes, and economic instabilities, millions of families were forced to flee their homes around the world. Over the years, this refugee crisis has continued to grow larger in magnitude and has caused the displacement of 26 million refugees by the end of 2019, according to the statistics released by the UNHCR. Among half of them are children. One of the most challenging issues that these refugees are facing every day is the inadequate supply of food. Food shortage has become a growing concern and many refugees are worried if they have enough to feed their own families. Many agencies are involved in helping refugees combat food insecurity. Among those agencies, the most impactful is the World Food Programme (WFP).
Founded by the United Nations in 1961, the World Food Programme is the largest humanitarian organization in the world. In 2019, WFP has provided food assistance to 100 million people in more than 80 countries and is expected to feed up to 138 million this year. However, even though this seems like a big number, it is still a long way from feeding everyone. On top of the growing need for food distribution, there is also a…