-
In Search of a Brighter Future
On 26 December 2022, a boat carrying 174 Rohingya refugees arrived in Pidie, Indonesia, following weeks at sea.
18-year-old Umar was one of them.
“After one week, we had no more food,” he describes, echoing the same conditions faced by many other Rohingya who had taken the perilous journey before him.
Umar joined roughly 3,300 other Rohingya refugees in 2022, as recorded by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), who undertook dangerous journeys in pursuit of what they hoped would be better futures.
Amidst continued instability in Myanmar and a lack of long-term perspectives in Bangladesh, the number of Rohingya arriving in different countries in the region through sea and land routes has increased dramatically since 2021 when 850 arrivals were reported – a 290 per cent increase year on year.
Umar tells a story of persecution and disheartenment shared by hundreds of thousands of other Rohingya. He says he spent most of his life in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, now the world’s largest refugee settlement where he managed to finish Grade 10 and learn English through classes offered by NGOs, as well as by watching videos on his phone.
“I left to get an education. I need to find more opportunities to continue my studies,” he explains.
“Before leaving Cox’s Bazar, my father told me, ‘I hope you can achieve what you wish. I want to see you on TV one day’,” he recounts, fondly recalling his father’s words of encouragement that he would succeed in life.
Although he has not yet been able to contact his parents since arriving in Indonesia, he wishes to tell them one thing – that he is alive and safe.
Umar has been staying in a temporary shelter in Pidie, which IOM is working closely with the Government of Indonesia, NGO partners and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) to refurbish and ensure secure water supply, access to food, sanitation, waste management and security.
At the shelter, IOM is also providing protection, medical, and mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) services. In addition, IOM is organizing recreational activities and holding information sessions in Rohingya language on the risks of irregular migration, in particular, human trafficking, gender-based violence, sexual exploitation and abuse.
Equally important is IOM’s efforts in supporting the local communities to host the refugees, which have contributed generously to the ongoing humanitarian response through various community engagement initiatives.
As Umar reflects on his future, he proudly conveys that he is a dreamer – sharing hopes of going to university or reuniting with family members who have settled in other parts of the world.
“Maybe I will see my family again one day. And maybe, one day my father will see me on TV.”
IOM’s assistance to Rohingya in Indonesia is funded by the US Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) and the European Union.