Min Min, 6, lives in a village surrounded by rice fields and huge trees, his home was destroyed when Cyclone Nagris tore through Myanmar in May this year.

It is hard for us to imagine the strength of a cyclone, one which can obliterate houses and uproot trees but Min Min doesn't have to imagine. He can remember what it felt like to run from its power.

Now three months on we return to Min Mi, while his family are still struggling to cope, we can see how returning to school is helping Min Min overcome the experience of the storm

The Night of the Cyclone

"When the cyclone hit, we ran off to an old barn, I was very scared," Min Min recalls, "We had no idea this was going to happen. And when the cyclone came, we thought it was only going to last for a few hours. But it lasted all night."

“I was with my mother when it happened, and we just ran. We were not even thinking," he says. They took shelter in the barn which is right next to Min Min's house so luckily his family was safe.

The extent of the damage

"Our house was completely destroyed", Min Min's mother says. The family was afraid of another cyclone, so they did not want to start building a new house right away. After some days the family started building a new place out of bamboo and this is where they live now. They were able to use some of the wood and the building material from the old house, so now they have their own place to sleep.

Obstacles to education

His mother explains that Cyclone Nargis has put a lot of obstacles in front of them. “We also lost one of our cows, we have had to rebuild our house and my husband earns less with only one cow to work on the paddy field”. As families struggle to cope we have found that some have to make difficult choices. Children are being taken out of school as families cannot afford the cost of school equipment, travel and uniforms and some families have to send their children to work to make ends meet. Despite the struggles that they are facing Min Min’s parents are very keen for him to stay at school. But even getting to school is difficult. Min Min and his friends make their way across the flooded land as they make their way to school.

Disasters can destroy the possibility of learning

The education of children, like Min Min has been badly affected by the cyclone. More than 4000 schools were damaged or destroyed. In emergency situations, education is frequently found to be interrupted, delayed or even denied. School systems, which often provide a focal point for communities, are also often destroyed, with schools converted to use for camps, barracks or living quarters.

Returning to learning

Min Min's school also felt the force of Cylone Nagris and is still too dangerous for students to go near. Teachers and students stand in the ruins of what used to Min Min’s old school. Save the Children is providing a safe and secure learning environments for children in the months after the storm. Min Min was able to attend his 2nd grade class, in a temporary school that has recently been built by Save the Children. This temporary school is both a safe and secure.

Save the Children, providing a safe and secure learning environmentThe temporary school was finished by the 1st of June 2008 and stands proud next to the shell of the old school. It is constructed from bamboo and plastic sheeting, making it nice and shady inside. At the moment there are 94 children attending the school run by two teachers and one headmaster.

We are very happy with this temporary school", one of the teachers explains. "The old school is completely ruined and this is a community that really values education, so it is important for them, that their children can go to school here."

Child Friendly Spaces The temporary schools also turn into child friendly spaces after the school day is over. Here, they can continue to play with their friends in a safe environment where they are supported to overcome the negative emotional impact of the cyclone.

It also gives parents time to work so that they can get back on their feet.

Education can help children recover from disasters

It is essential that we help children like Min Min, return to education. Educating children can save lives. Temporary schools, like the one provided for Min Min, offer safe spaces for the continuation of learning, as well as the opportunity to identify, monitor and provide support for children severely affected in a disaster. A school environment is the ideal place to provide the knowledge and skills to survive in the wake of a crisis through the dissemination of lifesaving information and the promotion of healthy practices.

Save the Children works to enable education in emergencies Save the Children has helped over 51,000 students return to education. 70 schools have been repaired and we have built 183 temporary schools so that children can still attend classes.

We are also providing student kits including exercise books, pens and pencils and other essential school kits such as blackboards. We have also re-trained 1,178 teachers and volunteers.

School kits and materials

A teacher unpacks chalk and other supplies that have delivered by Save the Children as part of a teaching pack for use at school. By supplying the schools with school kits and materials, as well as temporary structures, teachers are able to return to work and continue to teach their children ensuring that educational opportunities are not lost for these students. The teacher comments, “For children Min Min's age, education is one of the most important things. In the aftermath of a disaster, education can create them a safe and happy environment. Children here learn new things, play and are happy.”

Hope for the future

Nargis was a traumatic experience for both children and adults. Although Min Min is still afraid of strong winds and storms, his mother explains, “Playing and studying at school has helped him reduce his fears. I want him to go to university in the future and every single penny we make is now for his education. I am worried that we will not be able to support Min Min get an advanced education in the future. But we will not give up our desire of giving him an education”. "I like everything about school", Min Min says. "I like to read and to play with my friends. I like studying mathematics at school and I want to be a doctor when I grow up”.