What better way to celebrate?

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY: Pete and Kim Sainsbury, enjoying their anniversary on one of the world's most remote building sites. PICTURE/SUPPLIED

A Kerikeri couple have returned from Nepal, where they helped Kiwi charity First Steps Himalaya with an earthbag building project in the earthquake-devastated country.

Kim and Peter Sainsbury wanted to do something different to celebrate their first anniversary together, so when they heard about a Kiwi charity rebuilding schools in the disaster zone they were quick to lend a hand.

Kim is a teacher with 20 years' experience, while Peter, formerly the Mangonui Fire Brigade's Chief Fire Officer, owns Mangonui Concrete. Friends of theirs were in Nepal in April when the first earthquake struck, while just before the quake Nelson-based First Steps Himalaya had built a training centre using an 'earthbag' construction technique.

The trust's project area in Sindhupalchok district was badly hit; most schools were destroyed or severely damaged, but the earthbag building survived, and gained a reputation as an earthquake-resilient construction method.

The charity is now rebuilding classrooms across the district in its Earthbag Rebuild Nepal project, with the help of volunteers like Pete and Kim.

Pete organised a team to mix the concrete for the floor of the first of several earthbag buildings.

MEN AT WORK: Pete Sainsbury and one of the locals with another barrow load of concrete. PICTURE/SUPPLIED

"In New Zealand the floor would have been poured in one day with the help of concrete trucks, but this floor took eight days, morning and night, all hand-mixed using two wheelbarrows," he said.

Kim spent her time supporting maths and English teachers in temporary learning centres with mud floors and no resources.

"The children were well ahead of our Kiwi children in mathematics, but it was all out of a text book with no hands-on materials to help solve the equations," she said.

Pete was amazed by how happy the people were, despite all that had happened to them, however.

"They had nothing left but were so content. I loved seeing the children play old-fashioned games such as knuckle bones with river stones used to mix the concrete. They played football and cricket every night too," he said.

"The most important thing we got out of it was the special relationships with the people. Although the locals spoke limited English and we limited Nepalese, we all communicated and worked together fabulously on the project."

First Steps Himalaya has recently built an earthbag accommodation block in the village of Sangachok for trainees and visitors later in 2016. The rebuilding of early childhood centres and schools will continue for the next two years.

The charity's focus is to provide quality early years education in rural Nepal, by supporting schools in 22 villages with resources, teacher training and classroom refurbishment.

Other Northlanders interested in volunteering on the Earthbag project are welcome to get in touch by emailingadmin@firststepshimalaya.org