Girl Child Education at KSWS
At Katakhali Swapnopuron Welfare Society (KSWS), educating the girl child is central to our mission of building empowered, resilient communities in the Sundarbans. In a region shaped by poverty, geographic isolation, climate vulnerability, and gender inequality, KSWS works to ensure that girls not only enrol in school, but stay in school, learn with confidence, and progress towards a better future.
The Context
Girls in the Sundarbans face layered barriers to education like early marriage, household responsibilities, unsafe travel distances, limited access to secondary schools, and economic instability. Many are first-generation learners and are at high risk of being withdrawn from school as they grow older. KSWS was founded to address these realities by making quality, English-medium education accessible, aspirational, and continuous for girls in some of India’s most climate-vulnerable regions.
Access to Quality Education
KSWS operates English-medium schools and learning centres across the remote islands of the Sundarbans, enrolling girls from early childhood and supporting them through primary and middle school.
- 900+ children currently enrolled, with girls comprising nearly 50% of the student population
- 5 school and learning centre locations across Hingalganj and Hasnabad blocks, improving access for girls in hard-to-reach communities
- Permanent school infrastructure enables girls to continue education locally, reducing dropouts after primary grades
- Expansion of the main campus, including vertical growth, is enabling a gradual extension to higher classes and secondary education
Retention, Safety, and Continuity
Ensuring that girls remain in school is a core focus of KSWS’s education model.
- Regular tracking of attendance and learning outcomes enables early identification of dropout risks
- Ongoing parent engagement reinforces the value of girls’ education
- KSWS is working towards establishing a residential hostel facility for girls from remote and high-risk households
- This will significantly improve safety, continuity, and access to higher education, especially for adolescent girls
Holistic Support Beyond the Classroom
KSWS recognises that girls’ education is shaped by social, health, and emotional factors beyond academics.
- Adolescent health and menstrual hygiene programmes reach girls across centres
- Life-skills and confidence-building sessions strengthen communication, leadership, and decision-making
- Child protection and early marriage prevention initiatives engage both girls and families
- Teachers and community workers act as mentors and role models, creating safe spaces for girls to express themselves and lead
Family and Community Engagement
Sustainable change is built in partnership with families and communities.
- Regular parent meetings and mothers’ group interactions support higher retention of girl students
- Women’s livelihood and skill-development initiatives improve household stability, indirectly strengthening girls’ ability to remain in school
- Local leaders and caregivers are engaged to shift norms around girls’ education and early marriage
Impact and Progress
- Hundreds of girls currently enrolled across KSWS schools and centres
- Strong retention at the primary level, with increasing continuation into middle grades
- First-generation learners progressing beyond traditional educational limits in their communities
- Visible gains in confidence, classroom participation, and aspirations for secondary education among adolescent girls
Looking Ahead
KSWS remains committed to strengthening girl child education in the Sundarbans by:
- Expanding infrastructure to support secondary and senior secondary education
- Establishing safe residential facilities for girls
- Strengthening mentorship, academic support, and long-term education pathways