Like other Rohingya refugees, Mohamed Salim and his family fled the violence in Myanmar in 2017 to seek safety in neighbouring Bangladesh. There, they found themselves in the Cox’s Bazar refugee camp where they lived under harsh conditions. Initially working in the camp to support his wife and three children, Mohamed struggled to make ends meet. 

However, their circumstances began to change with the introduction of a sustainable agriculture project by MBRGI as part of the ‘1 Billion Meals’ campaign. This initiative provided him with the resources and training to start his own vegetable garden. Within just a few months he was able to grow a variety of vegetables, including chilli peppers, squash, aubergine, beans and okra. The produce not only helped feed his family, but he was able to sell the surplus at the market. This shift from consumer to producer provided Mohamed with additional income, enabling him to buy other essentials like meat and fish, significantly improving his family’s diet and living conditions. 

Reflecting on the impact of the project, Mohamed expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to substantially improve his family’s life: “This project has given us the opportunity to learn and benefit from new skills to feed our families and earn additional income. We are grateful to MBRGI for supporting us.”