The Schoolbox Project

The impact of natural disasters on mental health  in Bangladesh, is widely underestimated and misunderstood. Traditionally, disaster response has focused on fundamental needs of survivors, such as shelter, food and emergency medical support, and focused less on mental health. However, we now know that the neurobiology for many children indicates that they have an overactive fear response system following even one traumatic event, and are more likely to enter a "stuck" state of fight, flight, or freeze. While in this state, the part of the brain responsible for learning new information, is not functional. This is why the vast majority of children who have experienced childhood trauma will struggle in a traditional school setting. Add additional factors such as poverty and malnourishment, and this number will grow even higher. It's estimated Bangladesh has one psychiatrist for every two million people, despite increasing global data indicating the devastating impacts of trauma on health and lifespan.

Bangladesh’s mental health struggles have been present since its birth. The residual costs of the genocide and violence of its Liberation War in 1971 are still evident today. Mental health is often rejected, trivialized and misunderstood, despite the presence of domestic violence, crime, natural disaster and poverty. Bangladesh has the highest natural disaster mortality rate in the world.

The overarching goal of the program is to support youth through the acute stress of natural disasters, as well as the complex trauma brought on by poverty.  We help families to help their children learn how to feel safe, in an environment that may not be safe. Our primary focus is on development of self -regulation tools and coping strategies via art, lessons, storytelling, and through co-regulation between teachers and students. This is the environment where learning can happen.

Our model is implemented by local organizations with long and trusted community connections.

Mobile schoolhouses designed by one of the worlds leading experts in small space architecture, and a collaborative team of childhood trauma experts. Each “Schoolbox” comes with not only the infrastructure required to travel rough terrain to where it is needs, and to unfold to provide 2 indoor and one outdoor classroom as well as a composting toilet space, but with a rigorous online training program that local teachers can complete at their own pace. This culturally appropriate, inclusive and gender sensitive training provides teachers with an understanding of the neurological impacts of trauma, how trauma informs behavior and impacts learning, and includes strategies on self regulation, education in a crisis affected setting, and how to support student families at home to maximize learning done in school. The technology exists to support nurturing relationships that support effective teaching- quality training and entirely mobile infrastructure. Technology can be easily confused with quality education. The desire to “over-innovate” is strong. But learning can only take place in an environment where a child feels safe. And that is achieved by empowering teachers with all the tools they need- some tangible, some not. 

2 full time staff

25 volunteers

Implementation partners 

Mastul Foundation

Border Angels