Nearly 110 million people were displaced worldwide, forced from their homes by war, conflict, hunger, drought, and climate change. In May and June this year, Save the Children interviewed refugee children in Bangladesh, Nigeria, Peru, and Ukraine, many of whom have taken dangerous journeys to unfamiliar countries. En route, some encountered dead bodies and were forced to eat leaves to survive, while others waded through rivers and hid in forests. Now living in relative peace, these boys and girls are using familiar hobbies and pastimes to help them adapt to a new life. Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, is home to the largest refugee settlement in the world, with almost 1 million Rohingya refugees, most of whom have now been living in the camps for almost six years. 13-year-old Tariqul said his family experienced “immense suffering” during their five-day journey to Bangladesh in 2017. They saw dead bodies while walking through the jungle and only survived by eating tree leaves and drinking contaminated water.



This harrowing journey took its toll on Tariqul: “I have witnessed destruction along the path of coming to this country. During those times, I would be terrified by the sound of gunfire. I have seen fire and heard distant explosions. “At a very young age, I understood what war meant. This war had brought our entire family to a foreign land among unfamiliar people.”



Tariqul visits a Save the Children youth center every day after school, where he gets to play his favorite sport – football: "After coming to Bangladesh from Myanmar, everyone here, including people of my age or others, were all strangers to me. I didn't know anything here; I had lost all my friends. “When I started playing football, I made new friends in the new country. I enjoy playing football with them. We organize tournaments...I am the captain of my team, and everyone likes me a lot. “Moreover, during football matches, I can forget all my sorrows and hardships.” “Many families lost their loved ones in Myanmar. Many people died. We couldn't sleep peacefully. Even during the day, we were afraid to come out of our houses. We didn't get a chance to play. “But here, such incidents don't happen in Bangladesh. We are all safe and healthy here, leaving behind all the sorrows.”