UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Orlando Bloom Visits Rohingya Refugee Camps in Bangladesh
More than 300,000 children face the risk of losing access to education in 2026 amid further expected cuts to global funding. UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Orlando Bloom traveled to Bangladesh to witness firsthand the impact of severe reductions in official development assistance on the half a million children living in the Rohingya camps at Cox’s Bazar.
Visit Highlights and Observations
During his four-day visit, Bloom met with children, families, and aid workers to grasp the magnitude of funding challenges threatening the education, health, protection, and survival of children 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.
“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.”
Education Crisis in Rohingya Camps
- In June 2025, UNICEF had to temporarily close most schools in the Rohingya refugee camps due to funding shortages, impacting nearly 150,000 children.
- Although fundraising efforts recently allowed children across all grades to resume learning, a looming funding shortfall in early 2026 threatens to close all schools once again.
- This would leave over 300,000 children without access to education.
UNICEF’s efforts to sustain education and support services in the Rohingya camps remain critically dependent on international funding.
Summary: Severe funding cuts jeopardize education for over 300,000 Rohingya children, with UNICEF highlighting urgent need for sustained support to protect their future.