Concept Note: Bhasan Char Vocational Initiative

Background and Context

Approximately 32,000 Rohingya refugees reside on Bhasan Char following relocation from the overcrowded camps of Cox’s Bazar. While basic shelter and services exist, residents face profound constraints on movement, limited access to markets, and few opportunities to earn income. These conditions exacerbate aid dependency, psychosocial stress, and vulnerability—particularly for youth and women.

Vocational training tailored to the island’s realities offers a practical pathway to dignity and self-reliance. When aligned with local demand, climate conditions, and humanitarian regulations, skills development can strengthen household resilience now and prepare refugees for future durable solutions.

Problem Statement

Rohingya refugees on Bhasan Char lack market-relevant skills and safe income-generating opportunities. The absence of structured vocational pathways results in prolonged dependency on assistance, underutilized human capital, and increased protection risks, including negative coping mechanisms.

Goal

To enhance self-reliance and dignity among Rohingya refugees on Bhasan Char by equipping them with practical, market-relevant vocational skills linked to safe livelihood opportunities.

Specific Objectives

• Equip refugees with certified, demand-driven vocational skills adaptable to island conditions and future repatriation or resettlement.

• Increase household resilience through safe, community-based income opportunities.

• Promote inclusion of women and youth in skills training and leadership roles.

• Strengthen community cohesion through cooperative and peer-led learning models.

Proposed Activities

Market & Feasibility Assessments: Identify viable trades considering island constraints and humanitarian regulations.

Vocational Training Courses: Tailoring, fishing and net repair, climate-resilient agriculture, solar maintenance, carpentry, mechanics, food processing, and digital/remote services where feasible.

Certification & Apprenticeships: Skills validation and mentorship through supervised practice.

Cooperative Development: Formation of producer groups and service cooperatives to pool resources and reduce risk.

Life Skills & Financial Literacy: Basic numeracy, savings, entrepreneurship ethics, and workplace safety.

Inclusion Measures: Childcare support during trainings; targeted outreach to women, persons with disabilities, and at-risk youth.

Expected Results

• Refugees acquire employable, transferable skills with recognized certification.

• Increased participation of women and youth in livelihoods activities.

• Reduced aid dependency and improved psychosocial well-being.

• Strengthened community networks and cooperative enterprises.

Implementation Approach

Village Home will use a participatory, protection-centered model, employing trained Rohingya facilitators and aligning curricula with humanitarian standards. The program will coordinate closely with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, relevant government authorities, and sector partners to ensure compliance, avoid duplication, and maximize impact.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning

• Baseline skills and income assessments

• Completion and certification tracking

• Post-training livelihood follow-up

• Continuous community feedback mechanisms

Sustainability and Durability

Skills are selected for portability beyond Bhasan Char, supporting refugees’ long-term aspirations, including safe and dignified return to Myanmar. Cooperative models and peer trainers will help sustain outcomes beyond the project lifecycle.

Conclusion

Investing in vocational skills on Bhasan Char transforms refugees from passive recipients of aid into active contributors to their communities. This initiative offers a practical, dignified pathway to resilience while displacement persists.