The world's largest refugee camp is being brought to life in Westfield Stratford.
The British Red Cross are recreating the camp, dubbed Cox's Bazar, in Bangladesh. It's home to over 700,000 people who were forced to flee their homes in neighbouring Myanmar after violence erupted there over two years ago.
To even get to the camp, refugees undertook a treacherous journey, crossing rivers and trekking through the jungle. The week-long exhibition puts visitors through those same trials — although the scale and stakes for visitors are obviously much lower and less terrifying.
Hear real stories and experiences from those who made the journey and lived in the camp — situated in one of the most disaster-prone parts of the planet, especially during monsoon season. Visitors can touch and hear real elements from daily camp life.
The British Red Cross says that trying to provide people with shelter, water, food, healthcare and emotional support in the camp amounts to one of the largest humanitarian operations in the world. It wants to use this exhibition to raise awareness of the camp.
At the end of the exhibition, there's a shop where people can donate, or buy items with all the proceeds going to the humanitarian response.
This experience runs from 12-18 August 2019 in Westfield Stratford, on the first floor outside John Lewis. It's free to visit and open 10am-9pm every day excluding Sunday when it closes at 6pm.
