VANUATU: New climate-resilient classroom opens after fundraising boost from adventurers
A climate resilient classroom built using container architecture has opened in Vanuatu - one of the most disaster-prone countries [1] – after a funding boost by two adventurers to keep children learning even when disasters strike, Save the Children said.
The opening of the classroom comes at a time when climate extremes have become more frequent and intense, along with events like sea levels rising and desertification, posing immediate risks to children’s rights, including their right to health, and protection.[2]
Located on the Pacific ‘Ring of Fire’, Vanuatu is uniquely susceptible to a wide range of risks such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, tsunamis, tropical cyclones, drought, and flooding.
In 2024, children in Vanuatu needed immediate support to ensure they had shelter, food and healthcare as well as access to education following two earthquakes that caused widespread destruction in the capital Port Vila.
In 2023 the island was hit by three tropical cyclones which claimed lives and brought widespread damage to schools, homes, food gardens and disrupted water, power, and telecommunication services.
The new classroom is part of a pilot developed through a partnership between the country’s Ministry of Education and Training and Save the Children Vanuatu.
The pilot is designed to provide fast and low disruption classroom solutions to help keep children in school and learning while more permanent classrooms are rebuilt following a disaster. Designed as a scalable model, the facility includes a fit-for-purpose learning space and supporting infrastructure, such as Starlink and solar power.
Currently, Vanuatu’s Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) just uses one design for building urban classrooms – a design that takes time and can be costly. The new, shipping container design classroom is not only more resilient to cyclones and earthquakes but is also cheaper and faster to build.
Vanuatu’s new climate resilient classroom was made possible following a remarkable fundraising effort in 2025 by two adventurers from New Zealand and Australia – environmental advocate and Save the Children Ambassador Huw Kingston and Kiwi representative cyclist Laurence Mote. The pair cycled, hiked and skied more than 4,500 km across Aotearoa New Zealand to raise funds for the project.
The classroom also received support from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as shipping company CMA CGM who donated the containers.
At the opening of the classroom, Vanuatu’s Prime Minister Honourable Jotham Napat, said:
“This initiative reflects our national commitment to building an education system that is resilient, inclusive, and future-ready. These rapid-deploy classrooms show how innovation can help us respond quickly to challenges while ensuring every child, no matter where they are, continues to learn in a safe, clean, and dignified environment.
“As a nation vulnerable to natural disasters, we must invest in solutions that are not only reliable and adaptable, but also forward-looking. This model sets a new standard for how we can deliver education—smart, flexible, and designed for the needs of all our children today and into the future.”
Relvie Matariki, Save the Children Vanuatu Country Director, said:
“Every child deserves a classroom that is as strong and hopeful as they are. Climate‑resilient schools are essential to help avoid disruptions to children's learning when crises strike. When we build classrooms that can withstand a changing climate, we are not just protecting buildings, we are protecting a generation’s right to learn and to feel safe. In Vanuatu, we must continue to find ways to help our children on their education journey even during times of disaster.”
Save the Children has been working in in Vanuatu for more than 40 years to make sure children are learning, protected from harm, and grow up healthy and strong. Save the Children has a long history of responding to emergencies in the Pacific and Vanuatu.
References:
[2] Born Into the Climate Crisis II report: Born-into-the-Climate-Crisis-Report-2.-An-Unprecedented-Life-Protecting-Childrens-Rights-in-A-Changing-Climate.pdf