Swiss national Sandra Lavie Gojkovic leaves Dubai career to build a school in the Sundarbans

Sandra Lavie Gojkovic left a corporate career in Dubai and travelled to India in search of a different purpose. Her journey eventually took her to Sagar Island in West Bengal's Sundarbans, where she established a school for children with limited access to regular educational opportunities.

A Swiss national, Gojkovic founded The India School Project in 2012, using her own financial resources to start the initiative. What began as a school has since developed into a community-focused programme that works on children's education, women's livelihoods and protection against social problems affecting families.

The school is part of a wider effort to address the barriers that keep children in remote communities away from education. Alongside classroom teaching, The India School Project works with families, supports students in government schools and runs programmes aimed at improving women's livelihoods and children's safety.

Starting a school on Sagar Island

Gojkovic's decision to work in rural India followed her travels across the country, during which she encountered communities with limited access to education and other essential services. Her search for a place where she could contribute eventually led her to Sagar Island, a remote part of the Sundarbans where travel depends heavily on boat services and tidal conditions.

She opened the school in 2012 in a rented, unfinished government building. Around 60 children enrolled in its first year. She recruited local teachers and initially covered expenses ranging from building renovations and salaries to meals for students.

Persuading families to send their children to school was among the early challenges. Many households depended on children's contributions to family income, making regular attendance difficult. Teachers and members of the local team visited homes to encourage parents to enrol their children and continue sending them to classes.

The initiative has since expanded. Its primary school served around 180 children across five classes. Students receive free education, learning materials, teacher support and a vegetarian meal.

Supporting students through school

The organisation's work also includes an Education Support programme that partners with two government schools south of Kolkata. The programme provides additional tutoring to students, particularly those at risk of dropping out or struggling academically.

According to Gojkovic, the programme has helped increase the annual board examination pass rate from 50% to 100%. The reported improvement highlights the role of sustained academic support for students who may not receive sufficient individual attention in regular classrooms.

The initiative also introduced early-morning tuition for students in classes 9 and 10 preparing for board examinations. Its stated objective is not limited to enrolling children but also helping them remain in education long enough to pursue further opportunities.

Training women and protecting children

The India School Project's work extends to women and families through vocational training and community awareness programmes. Its women's initiative provides sewing training, with more than half of the women trained through the programme now work as tailors.

The organisation also addresses child marriage, domestic violence and human trafficking through awareness activities and youth participation. It has trained 112 youth leaders and reached an estimated 20,000 people across 30 villages, according to the September 2026 report.

Rather than relying exclusively on outside workers, the project employs local teachers, cooks, project managers and social workers. Gojkovic has credited the local team with understanding the community, its families and its circumstances in ways that an outsider cannot.

The organisation has also sought to maintain a relatively small operating structure. Gojkovic told that she partly supports its work through income from a paying job and raises donations, while its Swiss board members work voluntarily.

Keeping the work rooted in the community

Gojkovic's experience on Sagar Island has shaped the way the organisation approaches education and community development. Its programmes bring together schooling, additional academic support and initiatives addressing social and economic barriers faced by families.

The project also illustrates the importance of local participation in sustaining education initiatives in remote areas. Teachers and community workers play a central role in maintaining contact with families, encouraging school attendance and carrying out programmes.

For Gojkovic, the aim has been to develop an initiative that does not depend entirely on its founder. The local team manages much of the day-to-day work, while she continues to oversee major decisions and support the organisation.

Her move from Dubai to Sagar Island may have drawn attention through its personal contrast, but the work of The India School Project is rooted in a longer effort to make education and community support accessible to children and families in the Sundarbans.