Finding Pure Joy in the Most Unexpected of Places
Spreading Smiles, 1 Swing at a Time…
Wind blows gently through his dark,wavy hair, sunlight dances across his face – replenishing his skin with fresh sources of Vitamin D and forming beads of perspiration at the roots of his hairline, and laughter ripples from his lips into the air as he feels his feet lift off the ground and into the sky. A little boy of about age 7 glides through the air with incredible ease as he motors up his flying machine from the pilot’s seat with his pumping legs. At a safe distance behind him, the banter and side negotiations continue of whose turn will be next on the swings and seesaws. Perhaps they are whispering to each other their own version of what we might hear in our community parks and schools, “No cuts, no buts, no coconuts.” Through astute observation, nudging elbows can be seen reminding some of the juniors of their place behind their seniors. Other children admire and gaze upon the incredible scene, timidly calculating when might be best time to jump in line for their own turn. The laughter, skipping, poking and prodding means that all is well in the business of playground life.
These are the pura vida sounds we hear from the OBAT playground, a child friendly space nestled in the heart of the Kutupalong refugee camp. Now blessed with a space for physical and mental freedom where the spacial confines of camp life no longer limited their imagination or ability to play, the daily stress of the children fades into the dirt beneath their feet.
If play has not already been deemed a basic right of childhood, it should be. Especially in the aftermath of what the Rohingya have experienced. Cox’s Bazaar, Bangladesh is currently the world’s largest refugee camp, housing nearly 1.1 million Rohingya refugees, nearly 800,000 of whom fled across the border to escape genocide beginning in October 2016.
Medical clinics, community kitchens and temporary learning centers were built across the camps in response to the emergency needs following the crisis. OBAT joined in being a first responder with these critical services with current totals at 2 primary care health centers, 26 learning centers, 2 community centers, and 1,504 shelters.
But, something was missing.  The Rohingya community had physically survived a massacre, and for that they were thankful. But displacement and the after effects of victimization surfaced new problems. Most had experienced or witnessed extreme violence, and where positivity was missing, stress and anxiety filled the void. Absent in the highly abnormal living situation of the camp residents was a glimpse of normalcy. To heal the Rohingya spirit, OBAT understood that hope must be re-seeded into the community, prioritizing children at the forefront of the efforts.
So, OBAT built one of the only playgrounds in the camps to provide reprieve from a life of stress and uncertainty and to help children do what they do best – play. With something as simple as a safe playground with seesaws, swings, slides, climbing areas, and an open safe playing space, a sense of order and belonging began to be restored to an extraordinary situation – the proof of which lies in the children’s faces. OBAT was spreading smiles 1 swing at a time.
OBAT Board Member, Dr. Henna Qureshi, has made multiple trips and volunteered much of her time in the Rohingya camps. Upon returning from one of her trips, she reminisced of the joy she witnessed when seeing the children at the playground. “In the most unexpected of places, children were laughing and playing in a playground built by OBAT Helpers and a few other supporting NGOs. I went home happy and hopeful of their futures that they could still have the opportunity to be children.”
While children began to catch wind of the fun, they ran in by the dozen from all corners of the camp. For the Rohingya children, the playground was a place to erase the boredom and forget about life in a refugee camp and instead remind them of who they are first and foremost – children.
For OBAT, the playground helped the community in so many ways. Children had been displaying symptoms of poor sleep, depressed moods, crying, and aggressive behavior – signs of boredom, mental stress and PTSD.  In Cox’s Bazaar where lack of space and opportunity exacerbate the underlying mental stress, the playground was a positive outlet for their emotions. It also rebuilt a sense of community. Even more so, the children were learning so many life skills while having fun at the playground. Physical activity is known to promote social cohesion, cognitive development, diplomacy skills, and coping mechanisms. Reputable studies, physicians, and educators all know that a little outdoors time releases endorphins and energy, creates better focus and attention, and drives away stress. Hence the reason some primary school teachers and parents advocate for double recess!
Washing Away the Surface but Rebuilding from the Roots
In the Summer of 2018, the heavy monsoons attempted to wash away the physical structures of the playground. It was no longer functional without heavy repairs. The effect was devastating because the playground brought so much joy and a break to the monotony of camp life.
But as everyone knows, once a seed is planted, it can be restored to full life with just a little nurture. As we found was the case with the playground. Dr. Qureshi reports from her most recent visit, “Last December, I found the playground all in ruins after a summer monsoon struck and washed it all away.” She was concerned by the absence of the playground and spearheaded an online fundraiser where family and friends raised enough funds to rebuild the playground. Thankfully, the playground is back on track to being restored. This time, OBAT is all the wiser to the many environmental hazards posed to camp life and is better prepared to incorporate more effective fire and monsoon hazard protection. The Rohingya community eagerly awaits the reopening of the playground. In a heartfelt video acknowledgement to the donors, OBAT staff Shafiqur Rahman, collectively responds on behalf of the community, “Thank you for bringing a little bit of happiness back into the lives of the Rohingya children.”
Stay tuned for updates to the rebuilding of the playground, and in the meantime, send a smile to the Rohingya children next time you go flying through the sky in your neighborhood’s playground swings.
Written By: Afshan Paarlberg, J.D.
Director of Strategic Compliance and Engagement at OBAT