The power of hungry learners- Hacking their way to more food security in a refugee camp
YOUTH QUAKE - The GCYF BLOG #8
YOUTH QUAKE.
THE GCYF BLOG #8
The power of hungry learners—
Hacking their way to more food security in a refugee camp
What if you had nothing, say in a refugee camp where everything is in very short supply? Food, opportunities to learn, mentorship, medical care, safe water. Perhaps there are those who imagine you are entirely dependent on every scrap that they provide for you.
But despite the hunger in your belly from chronic food insecurity, you have an incredible hunger to learn and you have an idea. What do you do?
Then you teach yourself more about that idea. You use your phone, connect to whatever intermittent internet is available, and learn all you can about how it works in other places and what you can do to adjust and make it work where you are. And then you teach others about the simple techniques that you think might work. And persuade others to give it a try. You bet on yourself—your energy and intelligence—and other young people like yourself.
That is just what a youthful Rohingya refugee network did in one area of Cox’s Bazar, the largest refugee camp in the world.
In the middle of this year, an alarming food crisis loomed as the World Food Program (WFP) announced it would cut already scarce rations by half. Fears of starvation loomed. Back in 2023, the WFP had estimated that almost 25% of children and 50% of infants under 6 years old were malnourished. At most, about 10% of households had minimal food sufficiency. A little while later, the WFP reversed course and announced they would not have to take such a drastic measure, but the message was clear: outside actors, however well disposed, cannot be the whole answer to a community’s need for food, their right to food.
As the Global Center for Youth Futures (GCYF) discussed the seriousness of the situation with young people in the camps, it became clear that some method was required that the young people could grow their own food without needing access to agricultural land or expensive inputs.
A little research on the GCYF end and an idea was born—how about hydroponic farming? As a method of farming, it had not been widely adopted in the west, but could it have potential here? Hydroponic farming does not require agricultural land (which is very scarce in the camps). Food can be grown on roofs and even vertical surfaces, such as the walls of makeshift refugee shelters. Water supply was not an issue (in fact, excessive rains were a problem). Other basic infrastructure (used water bottles etc.) could be managed by collective effort.
In a few weeks, the Founder of this youth group—called the NextGen Rohingya Network— and his team of young leaders had explored the idea further. They used open access internet resources, identified techniques that might work for them, and had canvassed almost 50 families to give it a try in an experimental “pilot phase”. They designed tutorials that were easy to understand and began to teach those families.
Astonishing results!
● 39 out of 50 families successfully harvested their first crops within 30–40 days.
● 85% of trained households are now growing fresh vegetables regularly.
● 70% reported improved food variety and saved money on market vegetables.
● 10 families began selling surplus produce, earning a small but meaningful income (average 250–400 BDT/month).
The founder of the youth network reported to GCYF in a document dated July 2025, “In a place where land is limited and hope is often in short supply, your suggestion became the foundation of a small movement—growing fresh food, selling it to others to earn, and having a tension-free family life with vegetables, all without soil….With the right resources, Hydroponics can become a camp-wide solution….We’re not only growing vegetables. We’re growing independence, education, and dignity in a place where those are often denied.”
The big take away?
The world’s young people—however vulnerable they may be— are neither passive nor want to be dependent. While the crucial role of mentors cannot be underestimated--the most significant are their own capacities—even a single relevant idea could potentially be a game-changer. These hungry and capable learners will do the rest.
This is not just an experiment in food security—it is confirming evidence of youthful capacity to innovate and work for their right to health, food, and future even in extreme circumstances.
These incredibly bright learners continue with the work—but to scale this workable project into other areas of the refugee camp will require more concrete support.
If you are reading this, please share far and wide.
If you, or anyone you know is interested in collaborating, supporting or getting involved in any aspect of this youth experiment in food security— please contact [email protected] & cc: [email protected]
