Source: Save the Children
PORT VILA, Vanuatu 27 APRIL 2026 – A new, climate resilient classroom built using container architecture has opened in Vanuatu – one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world [1] – to keep children learning even when disasters damage school infrastructure, Save the Children said.
The opening of the classroom comes amid a climate crisis that has seen climate extremes become more frequent and intense, along with events like sea level rise 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 2023, children in Vanuatu were hit by three catastrophic cyclones, back-to-back tropical cyclones Kevin and Judy, followed by TC Lola destroying homes, schools and infrastructure across the country, while the following year two earthquakes caused widespread destruction in the capital Port Vila.
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. Unlike traditional classroom designs that use steel or wooden beams and concrete, the new design uses shipping containers to rebuild classrooms quickly at a lower cost, in a way that is resilient to future disasters including earthquakes, floods and cyclones. The design incorporates climate smart and disability inclusion elements including solar panels, fans and ventilation for cooling, Starlink internet and a disability inclusion ramp for wheelchair access.
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 – who cycled, skied and hiked more than 4500km across Aotearoa New Zealand to raise funds for the project.
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, ensuring we work alongside the Government of Vanuatu in the coordination of the response.
References:
[2] Born Into the Climate Crisis II report: https://resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/pdf/Born-into-the-Climate-Crisis-2.-An-Unprecedented-Life-Protecting-Childrens-Rights-in-A-Changing-Climate.pdf
About Save the Children NZ:
Save the Children works in 120 countries across the world. The organisation responds to emergencies and works with children and their communities to ensure they survive, learn and are protected.
Save the Children NZ currently supports international programmes in Fiji, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Laos, Nepal, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. Areas of work include child protection, education and literacy, disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation, and alleviating child poverty.
