In the face of unimaginable hardships, acts of kindness and compassion shine a ray of hope amidst the darkness. Such is the heartwarming story of Mohammed Ayoub, a Rohingya man whose plight touched the hearts of people worldwide.
Last September, a powerful photo of Ayoub carrying his elderly parents in a double basket slung over his shoulders went viral. The image captured the harrowing journey he undertook to escape the violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state and seek safety in Cox's Bazaar, Bangladesh.
The photograph shows the immense struggles and sufferings of the Rohingya people, who have been forced to flee their homes and face unspeakable hardships.
Source: ihh.org.tr
The Turkish humanitarian aid agency, the Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH), reached out to Ayoub and his mother as part of their aid program to support Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh.
The organization provided much-needed medical assistance, humanitarian aid, and a wheelchair for Ayoub's mother, whose health was fragile due to the arduous journey they had endured. Sadly, Ayoub's father had passed away two months prior in the camp, making the assistance all the more critical for his surviving family.
“The Myanmar military were burning down our homes and raping the women. They were killing innocent Rohingya people. Because of this we were forced to leave our homes. We reached Bangladesh by walking barefooted over the hills, mountains and through marshland. We didn’t know what to expect. We experienced difficulties here in the Kutupalong refugee camp that we never imagined. My father died 45 days after we came to the camp. My mother is paralyzed and also has other illnesses. If she is not treated, my mother will also die. I want to thank everyone who is giving us aid and support. In particular I would like to thank President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. I ask Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to help us with my mother’s treatment." shared Ayyub.
Source: ihh.org.tr
IHH took the initiative to renovate Ayoub's makeshift home at the Kutupalong camp. The act of providing a safe and comfortable shelter meant the world to Ayoub and symbolized hope for a better future.
Source: ihh.org.tr
Since the crisis began on August 24, IHH has tirelessly extended aid to over 835,000 Rohingya Muslims, both in Rakhine State and those who sought refuge in Bangladesh.
The Myanmar army's counterinsurgency sweeps in Rakhine state after attacks on security personnel have led to immense human rights violations—including rape, killing, torture, and the burning of Rohingya homes—that the U.N. and U.S. officials have decried as ethnic cleansing.
Source: ihh.org.tr
Myanmar's denial of citizenship and rights to the Rohingya community has resulted in the displacement of two-thirds of its roughly 1.5 million Rohingya population since 2012.