BRAC, LEGO Foundation launch five-year early childhood development initiative in Cox’s Bazar

BRAC, with support from the Denmark-based LEGO Foundation, has launched a five-year initiative aimed at creating safe, joyful and development-friendly learning environments for children living in Rohingya camps and surrounding host communities in Cox’s Bazar.

The initiative, based on BRAC’s Humanitarian Play Lab (HPL) model, aims to reach 220,000 children aged between 0 and 18 years from Rohingya camps and vulnerable host communities over the next five years.

The programme seeks to promote play-based learning while supporting children’s early education, psychosocial wellbeing and overall development.

The announcement was made during an inauguration event titled “Nurturing Childhoods, Preparing for Tomorrow”, held recently at a hotel in Cox’s Bazar. The initiative officially commenced on 21 May and was organised by BRAC’s Humanitarian Crisis Management Programme (HCMP).

Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) Mohammed Mizanur Rahman attended the event as the chief guest.

Welcome remarks were delivered by Dr Md Akramul Islam, Senior Director of BRAC’s Humanitarian Crisis Management Programme (HCMP) and BRAC Health Programme (BHP). 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, Programme 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 Programme; Dr Shayla Islam, Associate Director of BRAC Health Programme; Dr Mohammad Chaber, Civil Surgeon of Cox’s Bazar; Camp-in-Charge (CIC) Gazi Shariful Hasan of Camps 6 and 8 East; CIC Md Minhajul Islam of Camps 12 and 18; Mohammad Abdur Rouf of Camps 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 presentation on the programme overview was delivered by Dr S M Hasanuzzaman, Programme Coordinator of Health, Nutrition and Early Childhood Development under BRAC HCMP, and Syeda Sazia Zaman, Programme Head at the BRAC Institute of Educational Development (BIED), BRAC University.

The programme 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.

According to the presentation, nearly 80 per cent of brain development takes place within the first 1,000 days of a child’s life, citing data from the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF. The two organisations have jointly developed the globally recognised 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. Over the past six years, the organisation has developed the approach through extensive field experience.

The new initiative will be implemented across 15 Rohingya camps and eight upazilas in Cox’s Bazar district.

Organisers said BRAC, recognised as a pioneer in non-formal education, operated around 60,000 schools between 1990 and 2000. The BRAC Play Lab model has also been implemented in Bangladesh, Uganda and Tanzania.