Project with Refugees, Bangladesh

Lalu, 45.

I look much older than my age, because of the sorrow and suffering I have seen.

The Myanmar military captured Lalu’s family, forcing them into a house to be burned. While the army were rounding up more people in the village, Lalu’s family escaped. However, one of her nephews was killed when his clothes caught on fire and one of her grandchildren was shot by the military as they fled. The remaining family arrived at the Bangladeshi border and crossed the river by boat. The military pursued them on speedboat and the family’s boat sank, killing Lalu’s grandson. Lalu’s husband was saved from drowning, but he had drunk too much water and became dangerously unwell – he died soon after they arrived at the refugee camp. Lalu feels unspeakable grief for the loss of her loved ones and has been unable to move on, her mental and physical health increasingly frail.