AFTER the success of a book written to raise money for people affected by a devastating earthquake in Nepal, the Island author has visited the school her book helped rebuild.

Sophie Maliphant, of Yarmouth, was welcomed by pupils and villagers, including the local mayor, at the school, which is in a remote village in Nepal.

The school was badly damaged in the earthquake of April 2015.

Sophie, who was travelling in Nepal at the time of the quake and experienced its destructive power first hand, decided to write and illustrate a book to raise funds.

The book was called The Country That Shook and it raised £12,500 which, through the Gurkha Welfare Trust, helped rebuild classrooms.

On her recent visit, she was able to see the result of her fundraising work and officially open the new classrooms.

A plaque adorned the wall crediting Sophie and The Country That Shook for the funds raised.

Sophie said: "It was such a beautiful experience. The school is so grateful for what The Country That Shook has achieved — the English teacher went out of his way to keep telling me.

"Huge thanks to the Gurkha Welfare Trust for connecting me with the school and for making the trip possible."

Having completed this successful project, Sophie has launched a new campaign to raise money for menstruation kits for women in remote areas of Nepal.

"Most women and girls in rural Nepal have no access to sanitary towels and tampons for their menstruation," Sophie said.

"Many of them will never even have heard of such a concept as a disposable towel, like we use in the West, and if they have then they can't afford them.

"And of course, in these remote areas disposable towels would be incredibly bad for the environment as there is no waste system so the used pads would have to be disposed of in the countryside."

Sophie is supporting her friends Sabin Dhakal and Meena Karke, who have been working with Education for Life Nepal to supply reusable sanitary towels to women and girls.

A menstruation kit costs £11. Sophie held a fundraising yoga session recently in Calbourne and has so far raised nearly £1,000.

Anyone can donate at Sophie's fundraiser page, www.gofundme.com/sanitary-pads-for-nepali-women.