The Floating Schools of Bangladesh

According to climate predictions, up to 15% of Bangladesh will be completely flooded in as little as a decade from now and by 2030, as much as 20% could be uninhabitable. Currently, yearly monsoons cause thousands of schools to close due to overflowing rivers that number in the hundreds and Mohammed Rezwan has taken it upon himself to prepare for the inevitable. Shidhulai Swanirvar Sangstha, a nonprofit group he founded in 1998, came up with a groundbreaking solution with ‘floating schools.’ When students are unable to attend classes because of flooding, solar-powered boats pick them up so their education goes on despite of environmental circumstances. Since its inception, the organization has expanded to run a fleet of boats serving as libraries, adult training centers, solar workshops, and clinics. Its latest project involves a two-tiered boat with a classroom below and a playground on top as well as a floating farm.