Project Background: The Floating School
Ramakrishna Mission, Imphal, began an initiative in August 2025 to support the first floating elementary school located at Champu Khangpok on Loktak Lake. This unique settlement, home to over a thousand people residing in approximately 330 huts, relies entirely on the lake for its livelihood.
The school is built on thick phumdis (floating biomass) and runs up to Grade III. It operates three days a week, with two graduate teachers instructing around 30 pupils. Notably, this student group includes not only young children but also several illiterate elders from the village.
Emergency and Distress Relief
For four weeks, the village faced a severe emergency due to the heavy accumulation of phumdis, which blocked all boat routes. This isolation rendered fishing impossible and cut off the community from food supplies, forcing many families to ration and subsist on a single meal a day. Despite temporary clearances, strong winds quickly pushed more phumdis back into the channels.
As conditions recently began to ease and pathways started to open, villagers were able to visit the Mission’s Babupara Campus. In response, the Mission immediately provided essential items to aid in teaching and learning:
The distribution included a Whiteboard, various essential study materials, educational aids such as maps and charts, flooring mats for the children, and a collection of Books, Notebooks, pens, and pencils.
Conclusion and Next Steps
The provision of these educational materials offers critical support as the community begins its recovery from the isolation period. Ramakrishna Mission, Imphal, plans a follow-up visit to the floating school in the coming days to assess the remaining needs of the students and the community, ensuring further targeted assistance can be extended.
