Rohingya Refugee Girls’ Education
Maiya School is on a mission to transform the lives of Rohingya refugee girls through education.
Adolescent girls have next to no opportunities in the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh. In this emergency context, girls are vulnerable to child marriage and gender-based violence. To compound the problem, adolescent girls are excluded from school as there are no culturally appropriate options available to them.
Maiya School aims to bridge this gap. In April 2022, we opened our first girls-only school in Kutupalong refugee camp. We now have two full classes of 80 Rohingya adolescent girls getting an education!
What makes Maiya School different?
What sets Maiya School apart is our unwavering commitment to gender equality and cultural responsiveness. By employing gender-inclusive strategies deeply rooted in Rohingya culture, Maiya School ensures a safe and empowering education for our students.
Girl-centred learning space
Maiya School’s learning centre is designed specifically to ensure that adolescent girls feel safe and supported to attend school.
We do this by:
Having only female students and teachers
Ensuring a clean female toilet with hand washing facilities
Regularly distributing menstrual hygiene kits, so students can manage their period with dignity and still attend school
Securing a fence around the school grounds, so students do not get harassed by men and boys
Integrating solar-powered fans and lights, so girls can comfortably attend school in the heat while wearing their modest cultural clothing.
Comprehensive, quality education
Maiya School teaches the formal Myanmar curriculum – equipping our students with skills in Burmese and English literacy, mathematics, science, social science, life skills, health and wellbeing.
By aligning with the formal Myanmar curriculum, Maiya School ensures that its students are prepared to reintegrate into the national education system when they return to their homeland. Quality education opens doors to employment and higher education opportunities within the refugee camps and beyond.
We provide tailored classes for adolescent girls, focusing on topics such as girls’ and women’s health and life skills. This comprehensive approach empowers our students with vital information and the ability to advocate for their educational rights.
Community engagement
Our project was designed and continuously improves through engagement with the Rohingya community.
The initial design of Maiya School’s educational program and learning centre was developed through consultation with the Rohingya community, including adolescent girls, their families, and community and religious leaders.
We hold family and community meetings every quarter, providing opportunity to provide feedback, guidance, and support for Maiya School’s programs.
During our two years of operation, community support for the education of adolescent girls has grown consistently, with the local Rohingya community enthusiastically supporting the our students’ achievements and advocating for girls’ education.
Make a Donation
Maiya School remains the only learning centre in the Rohingya Refugee Camps of nearly one million people that is dedicated to adolescent girls’ education.
Your donation will directly contribute to bringing up a generation of girls who are educated, empowered, and motivated to advocate for their rights and future.