Manipur CAN — Internet in School Initiative
Restoring digital connectivity and educational continuity for tribal students in a conflict zone — through a community-owned internet network built to last.
Overview
Internet access as humanitarian relief — in the world's longest recorded shutdown
When ethnic conflict erupted in Manipur in May 2023, the Kuki-Zo tribal communities of Churachandpur District faced a compounding crisis: alongside physical displacement, the state administration imposed prolonged internet blackouts. Students couldn't register for JEE, NEET, or CUET exams. Schools lost access to digital syllabi and textbooks. While the rest of India moved toward AI-assisted learning, children in Churachandpur were pushed backwards by decades.
Recognising that internet access in a conflict zone is a matter of fundamental humanitarian relief, CSDD, SSPP, and AKCDP built a high-capacity fixed leased-line hub at the SSPP Campus in Bungmual — deploying a wireless network covering a 4.5-kilometre radius across 9 schools and 385 households.
Reach at a Glance
Educational Outcomes
What the network made possible for students
Digi Samarth — Safety & Trust
Internet access without digital safety is incomplete
Providing raw connectivity in a sensitive conflict zone required a parallel safety framework. CSDD launched Digi Samarth — 6 specialised workshops training 221 participants (primarily adolescent girls, student leaders, and teachers) across three core modules:
"Connecting Communities. Empowering Futures."