Some Nias children back at school, others not

Pain and sorrow always follow in the wake of a disaster. In many cases, children suffer the most.

Despite the sorrow and the pain caused by the strong March 28 quake that flattened parts of Nias island, children keep playing and having fun with their friends. They share laughter and remove debris from school compounds to ensure that classes are resumed.

In some areas on Nias, students clean their school together. In other locations, however, students miss classes because their schools were flattened by the quake. Instead, they play with friends or help their parents with the chores while waiting for their schools to be rebuilt.

Photo A

JP/R. Berto Wedhatama

Students remove rubble from a schoolyard.

Photo B

JP/R. Berto Wedhatama

Children queue for clean water provided at a public facility. Many children are unable to go to classes because their schools were destroyed in the earthquake. They instead stay home and help with the chores.

Photo C

JP/R. Berto Wedhatama

A blackboard is put in position on the first day of school since the March 28 earthquake. The blackboard remained intact despite the quake.

Photo D

JP/R. Berto Wedhatama

A game of badminton is in progress on a neighborhood court. Children on Nias island have been advised to play outdoors in case of more earthquakes.

Photo E

JP/R. Berto Wedhatama

Children play outside a tent. These children do not go to school because their school collapsed during the quake.

Photo F

JP/R. Berto Wedhatama

A boy carries leaves of the sweet potato plant home. Prior to the quake, the people of Nias fed the leaves to their pigs, but people now eat the leaves since there is a lack of vegetables.