Save the Children are appealing for more money from the public to help rebuild schools in the earthquake hit districts in Nepal.
Residents of a village in Nepal's Kavre district work to build shelters for those left without houses. Photo: AFP
Nepal was struck by earthquakes six months ago and the charity helped rebuild schools as quickly as possible so that children could continue their education and not be held back by the natural disasters.
But the winter is coming and the pressure is on to earthquake and element-proof 3,000 learning centres.
The earthquakes left almost a quarter of a million children being schooled in classrooms that were unfit for use due to freezing winter temperatures.
A candle lit vigil in Kathmandu, a month after the deadly earthquake struck the Himalayan nation. Photo: AFP
Save the Children New Zealand chief executive Heather Hayden said there was a nation-wide focus on building back infrastructure better than it was before the quakes.
"Save the Children is looking for further funding to really speed up the process of strengthening the class rooms.
"We've got a focus of build back better. I think we've all learnt after earthquakes such as the Christchurch earthquake, and so we're wanting to put in place in Nepal classes that are strong and that are safe, that are able to withstand any further earthquakes."
She said money spent now will help Nepal's future.
"What we find in situations like this is that the children who miss out on schooling. They end up being very vulnerable, often abused or trafficked.
"They often end up having to go into the workforce to earn money for their families so the focus for us is getting children back into schooling, back able to fulfil their future in a country where education is the passport to the future."
