Discover how Mohammed Rezwan, a visionary architect in Bangladesh, is revolutionizing education and community development amidst the severe challenges of climate change. Through the creation of floating schools, hospitals, and more, he's not only safeguarding the future of vulnerable communities but inspiring a global movement. Learn how his innovative approach is making a substantial difference in Bangladesh and beyond, proving that individual action can ignite transformative change in the fight against climate change.
“Bangladesh always ranks in the top 10 in Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment.”
Prof. Saleemul Huq (International Center for Climate Change and Development)
Bangladesh is a perennially flood-prone region, and recent climate change is making it more severe. People are stranded during the monsoon season from May to October. They cannot get to schools, hospitals, or work on their farms because roads are flooded. 2,000 each day, 720,000 each year: The number of people who flee their homes and become climate refugees in the relatively stable capital of Dhaka.
An architect in Bangladesh wonders.
“How can I design a flood-proof building?”
And he comes up with a creative solution, the ‘floating school.’
Name: Shidulai Boat School Made out of: Second-hand wooden boats and local timber from Bangladesh Size: 17m x 3m Capacity: 30 students Operated by: Solar energy
“I thought that if children cannot come to school, then the school should come to them.”
His name is Mohammed Rezwan.
“I thought as an architect I would design exciting things to help the poor in my own communities,”
Rezwan went on to design more exciting architecture. Floating Hospital, Floating Training Center with wireless internet access, Floating Library and Playground.
He took another step and developed technologies to help flood-prone communities. ‘Solar lanterns’ to provide electricity during floods, ‘Floating farms’* for landless farmers who lost their farms to floods. A total of 54 boats are floating on water, reaching the livelihoods of 500,000 people and revitalizing their communities.
Shidulai Boat School (28), Floating computer class (2), Floating library (10), Floating playground (2), Floating hospital (6), Floating training center (6)
“I bought a calf for my mom with the money I earned!”
-Rukshana, a trainee at the Floating Training Center-
*A calf costs 100,000 taka (920 USD), 60 times the minimum monthly wage of 1,600 taka in Dhaka.
The idea of Rezwan’s Floating School has been shared for free, and it is replicated in eight countries, including the Philippines, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Nigeria.
If the international community is to tackle climate change, leadership is needed. Not only from governments, scientists, businesses and states, but also from individuals and civil society organizations working on the ground.
-Achim Steiner, Administrator of UNDP-
