Khatisahi Island lies in Chilika Lake, an enormous brackish lagoon on India’s east coast. The lake’s seagrass and mangrove habitats support a rich fishery, and the lake is the largest wintering ground for migratory waterfowl on the subcontinent. It is home to rare and endangered species, including the Irrawaddy dolphin, green sea turtle, spoon-billed sandpiper, fishing cat, and limbless skink.

Today, there is immense pressure on the lake’s resources. Sedimentation and runoff from development have reduced water quality. Damage to coastal mangroves has increased the risk of erosion and damage from increasingly severe cyclones. Many families who live on the lake’s islands depend on fishing for their livelihoods, and it’s now hard for them to make even a modest living.

The Khatisahi Island community has committed to replanting and protecting 10 acres of coastal mangroves. Our partner, JRP, which has worked with Seacology on other successful mangrove planting initiatives on Chilika Lake islands, will provide expertise on planting and maintenance.

Khatisahi is a Dalit community whose residents face entrenched social discrimination and poverty as well as ecological vulnerability. Nearly 50 children in the community cannot attend school because of their “untouchable” status. (Despite a 2009 law guaranteeing all children free public education, millions do not attend school, according to a 2024 Human Rights Watch report.) The women are skilled at keoda root basket-making, an eco-friendly craft. But they have no workspace, formal training, market access, or storage facilities, limiting their economic opportunities.

A Seacology grant is funding a center for education and vocational training. Children who are currently shut out of public school get to continue their education. The women learn how to turn traditional basket-weaving into a successful business, with training on how to make high-quality products, set prices, and package and market their wares. The building will be a permanent asset of the community.