Actors Hari Bansha Acharya and Madan Krishna Shrestha on Wednesday handed over Rs 8 million to rebuild two quake-affected schools of Sindhupalchok and Dolakha districts.

On behalf of the Help Nepal Network (HeNN), a global charity network run on voluntary basis, the duo provided the first instalment of Rs 4 million each to Raj Kuleshwor Lower Secondary School in Dolakha and Thokarpa Secondary School in Sindhupalchok.

Focusing primarily on rebuilding schools, HeNN is coordination with the Department of Education in helping redesign schools damaged by the earthquakes with an estimated budget of around Rs 80 million.

Survivor Nepal, a non-governmental organisation working for the quake victims, will help to implement the school rebuilding programme in Sindhupalchok while Rajahiti Samaj, another NGO, will implement the project in Dolakha.

The remaining amount will be handed over to the concerned bodies once the initial construction starts. 

“We are planning to construct earthquake-resistant schools buildings,” said Rabindra Mishra, the founder president of HeNN. 

More than 17,000 classrooms of around 8,000 public schools in 31 districts were destroyed in the 2015 earthquakes. 

A recent record of District Education Office shows among 4,000 classrooms destroyed by the April 25 earthquake and its aftershocks in Dhading, only 192 classrooms have been rebuilt so far.