BRAC launched a five-year early childhood development partnership with support from the Denmark-based LEGO Foundation at an inauguration event titled “Nurturing Childhoods, Preparing for Tomorrow” at a local hotel in Cox’s Bazar on May 21.
The initiative aims to reach 220,000 children aged 0–18 from Rohingya camps and vulnerable host communities across Cox’s Bazar over the next five years. It will use BRAC’s proven Humanitarian Play Lab (HPL) model to promote play-based learning, psychosocial wellbeing and overall development.
The event was organized by BRAC’s Humanitarian Crisis Management Program (HCMP). Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) Mohammed Mizanur Rahman attended as chief guest.
Welcome remarks were delivered by Dr Md Akramul Islam, senior director of BRAC’s Humanitarian Crisis Management Program (HCMP) and BRAC Health Program (BHP). The closing remarks were given by Rezaul Karim, associate director and officer-in-charge (OIC) of BRAC HCMP.
The session was moderated by Dr Ishaat Nabila, program manager (technical) of the Health, Nutrition and Early Childhood Development (ECD) sector under BRAC HCMP. Other speakers included Safi Rahman Khan, director of BRAC’s Education, Migration and Skills Development Program; Dr Shayla Islam, associate director of BRAC Health Program (BHP); Dr Mohammad Chaber, civil surgeon of Cox’s Bazar; Camp-in-Charge (CIC) Gazi Shariful Hasan (Camp 6 and 8 East); CIC Md Minhajul Islam (Camp-12 and 18); Mohammad Abdur Rouf (Camp 3 and 5); and other officials.
In his speech, RRRC Mohammed Mizanur Rahman said, “What makes this initiative truly meaningful is how BRAC sees children as a whole. We all can be a part of this initiative, collectively.”
A special presentation on the “Program Overview” was delivered by Dr S M Hasanuzzaman, program coordinator of Health, Nutrition & Early Childhood Development (ECD) under BRAC HCMP, and Syeda Sazia Zaman, program head of the BRAC Institute of Educational Development (BIED), Brac University.
The program will be implemented through five key components: responsive caregiving, play-based learning, support for transition to formal education, adolescent engagement activities, and integrated mental health support. The initiative is fully funded by the LEGO Foundation.
The presentation noted that, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF, nearly 80 per cent of brain development occurs within the first 1,000 days of a child’s life. The two organizations have jointly developed the globally recognized Nurturing Care Framework, which identifies five essential components for early childhood development: good health, adequate nutrition, responsive caregiving, safety and security, and opportunities for early learning.
BRAC has been implementing the Humanitarian Play Lab model in Cox’s Bazar since 2018 and, over the past six years, has developed a strong approach through extensive field experience. The new initiative will be implemented across 15 Rohingya camps and eight upazilas in Cox’s Bazar district.
Organizers said BRAC, recognized as a pioneer in non-formal education, operated 60,000 schools between 1990 and 2000. The BRAC Play Lab model has also been implemented successfully in Bangladesh, Uganda and Tanzania.
