Mosammat Hosne Ara Khatun teaches students in a floating school boat that provides education to children in flood-prone Bangladesh.
Mosammat Hosne Ara Khatun has taught in a boat school for the last 10 years, providing a practical solution for children in flood-prone regions of Bangladesh. These floating schools were designed to address the problem of seasonal floods and impassable, muddy roads that often prevent children from reaching conventional schools.
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The boat school picks up students from nearby villages and drops them off after class, ensuring that education remains accessible even during heavy rain and storms. Students like Rabbi Hossain and Surovi Khatun received their primary education at these floating schools. Rabbi Hossain is currently studying engineering at Dhaka University of Engineering & Technology, while Surovi Khatun is an undergraduate student pursuing a degree in English. The initiative is run by the nonprofit group Shidhulai Swanirvar Sangstha. The project received the UNESCO Confucius Literacy Prize 2025 for its efforts to deliver education to rural communities. Founder Mohammed Rezwan is currently designing a larger boat to serve as a floating community hub for health care and other services.