US Aid Cuts Expose Rohingya Children to Exploitation, Destroying Dreams of Education and Hope

In the sprawling Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh, the closure of schools has led to a devastating rise in child exploitation. Girls as young as 12 are being forced into marriage, while boys are being trafficked, sold into labor, or forced into prostitution. The crisis is a direct result of the US aid cuts, which have crippled child protection programs and left children vulnerable to predators. For 17-year-old Hasina, the loss of her school has meant a loss of her childhood and her dreams of becoming a teacher. After being forced into marriage, she is now trapped in a nightmare of abuse and exploitation. "If the school hadn't closed, I wouldn't be trapped in this life," she says. The UNICEF reports a 21% increase in verified cases of child marriage and a 17% increase in child labor cases since the aid cuts. The actual numbers are likely much higher due to underreporting. The US State Department claims that the aid cuts have not resulted in any deaths, but a study published in The Lancet journal estimates that the funding cuts could lead to over 14 million deaths, including 4.5 million children under the age of 5, by 2030. In the camps, children are being forced to work long hours in hazardous conditions, selling food and collecting trash for a few dollars a day. They are also being trafficked to Malaysia, where they are detained and tortured until their families can pay a ransom. For 13-year-old Mohammed Arfan, the loss of his school has meant a loss of his dreams of becoming a teacher. He now spends his days selling snacks and daydreaming of the small schoolroom where he once felt safe and loved. The aid cuts have also led to a reduction in healthcare, nutrition, and sanitation services, leaving children vulnerable to diseases and malnutrition. The UN World Food Program has warned that it may not be able to continue providing food rations to the Rohingya beyond March. As the crisis deepens, families are being forced to make desperate decisions. Noor Kaida, a 17-year-old who was married off after her school closed, has lost two young relatives to traffickers. "If the school wasn't closed, they wouldn't have had to take these risks," she says. The story of Mohammed, a 13-year-old who was trafficked to Malaysia, is a chilling reminder of the dangers faced by Rohingya children. His father, Mohib Ullah, was frantic with worry when he received a call from an unfamiliar number, only to hear his son's desperate plea to be rescued. The fate of Mohammed and countless other Rohingya children hangs in the balance. As the US aid cuts continue to cripple child protection programs, it is clear that the crisis will only worsen. The international community must act quickly to provide support and protection to these vulnerable children and ensure that their dreams of education and hope are not destroyed forever.