UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Orlando Bloom visits Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh, where funding cuts are putting half a million children’s futures at risk

UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Orlando Bloom Visits Rohingya Refugee Camps

On 6 November 2025, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Orlando Bloom traveled to Bangladesh to witness firsthand the effects of major cuts to official development assistance (ODA) on the half a million children living in the Rohingya camps at Cox’s Bazar.

Impact of Funding Cuts on Rohingya Children

During his four-day visit, Bloom met with children, families, and aid workers, learning about the critical funding challenges jeopardizing education, health, protection, and survival for children in the world’s largest refugee camps.

“The children in these camps are 100 per cent dependent on aid, but that aid is sadly shrinking,” said Bloom.

He spoke with 14-year-old Aziz, who shared his dream of becoming an engineer to build a drone that could spotlight the urgent needs of Rohingya children.

“These children need an education in order to have a future.”

Education Crisis Amid Funding Shortages

In June 2025, UNICEF was forced to temporarily close most schools in the Rohingya camps due to lack of funds, affecting nearly 150,000 children. Although recent fundraising allowed all children to return to school, looming funding shortfalls in early 2026 threaten to close all schools again, putting more than 300,000 children at risk of losing educational access.

Summary

Severe funding cuts threaten the education and well-being of over half a million Rohingya children in Bangladesh, risking the closure of vital schools and services.

Unicef — 2025-11-05