Bangladesh

Though still affected by widespread poverty, in 2018 Bangladesh moved off the U.N.’s list of Least Developed Countries for the first time. However, the capital, Dhaka, is still rated as the second-least livable city in the world. The country has seen growth in attitudes about education — a majority of Bangladeshi families want their kids to go to school instead of work, a positive shift in cultural norms. As well, government-run community health clinics are making healthcare accessible to thousands more families, contributing to overall improvements in health for families and decreasing infant and mother deaths. The hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims taking refuge in Bangladesh are extremely vulnerable to natural disasters and human trafficking. The region’s resources to support them are becoming strained. And many Bangladeshi children and adults are also vulnerable to human trafficking and forced labor, a problem that’s not being sufficiently fought by authorities. Despite advocacy work to change this practice, the government passed a law in 2017 allowing children under 15 to get married for special circumstances. Thanks to the support of our donors, hundreds of thousands of vulnerable children are gaining hope through sponsorship programs. Kids are learning to read better and getting skills for job readiness, so they can have brighter futures. They’re growing up healthier thanks to improvements in sanitation and training in good hygiene behaviors. And together with our partners, we reached hundreds of thousands of people affected by disasters or crisis, bringing them life-saving assistance like food and shelter.