Nepal

Today marks one year since the people of Nepal suffered the catastrophic death and destruction caused by the first of two massive earthquakes.

Monday 25th April marks 12 months since the first of two earthquakes hit Nepal, claiming over 8,000 lives, destroying over 600,000 homes and causing pain and loss that cannot possibly be measured in numbers. The spirit and determination of Nepalese people to recover and rebuild has been remarkable though.Thanks to your support ActionAid has been able to help hundreds of families to rebuild their homes and livelihoods. We spoke to some of the women we've been helping to learn how they are getting on, one year on.

Mina is a 24-year-old volunteer, and she is coordinating the rebuild of homes and schools in her village in Nepal with ActionAid. She lives in Sindupalchowk, one of the regions that was worst hit by the earthquakes that struck Nepal six months ago this week. Here, she describes her work and why it's so important that the women of Nepal are at the heart of rebuilding their communities.

In 2015 I ran the London Marathon for ActionAid - it was a life’s ambition, something I’ve wanted to do since the very first London Marathon 35 years ago. And I wasn’t let down; the experience was amazing. I love to run, but I’m not fast and I’m not an athlete. I was aiming for a six hour finish time and to soak up the legendary atmosphere that people say will ‘carry you along’.

Children in the UK are getting ready to go back to school excited, refreshed and full of energy after their summer break (their parents are probably quite relieved to be waving them off too!). Not so in Nepal. Nepal's school year starts in May, but with 30,000 classrooms destroyed and many schools still closed since the devastating earthquakes that struck earlier this year, going back to school isn’t as straightforward for children living in a country where people are trying to rebuild their lives.

The water mill in the town of Manigaun was destroyed during one of the earthquakes to hit Nepal earlier this year. The building in which the grinding stones worked collapsed and the channels which brought water to turn the stones were broken. Now, three months later I was able to watch as the heavy granite stones turned again for the first time.