Global money transfer company MoneyGram Foundation and the Chaudhary Foundation, a philanthropic arm of the Chaudhary Group, have completed rebuilding 10 primary schools in areas devastated by last year’s earthquake.

The MoneyGram Found-ation provided a grant of $80,000 (Rs8.5 million) for the reconstruction project, the Chaudhary Group said Friday.  

“The rebuilding of 10 schools is a small step against how much we want to reach on building the schools,” said Sheshagiri Malliah, MoneyGram’s regional director for South Asia.

“We hope our initiative with the Chaudhary Group will bring encouragement to the students to contribute to reshaping Nepal regardless of the massive tremor that hit the nation.”

More than 30,000 school buildings were destroyed by the massive tremor, forcing 4 million students to attend classes in the open air.

The money transfer agency has been working in the field of children’s education since 2012 in 22 countries around the world and benefitted 55,000 children.

Moon Lee, vice-president of the Chaudhary Group, said the group always welcomed and assisted anyone wishing to support Nepal.

“Joining hands with MoneyGram has added big value to our work,” he said.

He added that although the earthquake was devastating, it also opened opportunities for rebuilding Nepal.