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.

bangladesh_floating_school_06

bangladesh_floating_school_11

bangladesh_floating_school_01

bangladesh_floating_school_02

bangladesh_floating_school_03

bangladesh_floating_school_04

bangladesh_floating_school_05

bangladesh_floating_school_07

bangladesh_floating_school_08

bangladesh_floating_school_09

bangladesh_floating_school_10

bangladesh_floating_clinic

bangladesh_floating_school_12

bangladesh_floating_school_13

bangladesh_floating_school_14