SCHOOLCHILDREN in Alton have been learning about the horror of being caught up in an earthquake.

The opportunity arose as author Sophie Maliphant paid them a visit to read extracts from her book The Country That Shook, which she has written to raise money for the people of Nepal.

On April 25 last year, Sophie was in Nepal, in Pokhara with her boyfriend Peter, when an earthquake destroyed a large part of the town. She described the experience as “terrifying” despite being in an area which was relatively unscathed as more than 9,000 people died.

“It motivated me to use my skills as a graphic designer to illustrate and write a book, in the hope that it will help the people of this beautiful country,” she said.

The heart of the project is her self-published children’s book, with a rhyming story and detailed illustrations, illustrations she drew as she continued her diverted journey around Asia, through India, Japan and South Korea after the quake.

She had the book printed in China and ran a successful kick-starter campaign, raising more than £3,000 to pay for the printing and production costs of all the products which ensured that every penny spent went directly to Nepal.

Limited edition T-shirts and prints were also made available, inspired by the story.

The author’s brother, Leo, is the PE consultant for 12 schools in the Alton area and this prompted Sophie to visit some of them to tell them about her book.

So during last week she visited primary schools in Binsted, Medstead and Selborne, Andrews Endowed and St Mary’s in Bentworth, as well as Anstey Junior School.

She said: “At each school we talked about Nepal as a country, what an earthquake is, and what it felt like to be in one.

“Also what inspired me to illustrate and write the book and what my plans are for the money that I raise.

“Then we read the book, discussing the illustration styles and the Nepalese traditions and legends that are brought up in the story.”

Now based back in England, Sophie, who lives in London, said it had has been an incredible and unique journey.

“To date I have raised almost £ 4,800 for Nepal,” she said.

Sophie is going back to Nepal to hand over the money personally to the people re-building a school destroyed in the earthquake.

“It is 62 miles from Kathmandu and the children are having to learn their lessons in tents set up near the site. I also hope to set up initiatives that tackle mental health problems, particularly those caused by the quake,” she said.

“Conditions are still bad in Nepal and many people are still living in tents. It is freezing there in the winter and their plight wasn’t help by a blockade India put on fuel and resources getting into the country for five months.

“Now its over, re-uilding work can start again and the people can try to get their lives back to normal. But it’s definitely not over yet.”

The author added: “Ideally, I would like to return to Nepal in the next few months to distribute personally at least some of the money raised.

“I hope to support the rebuilding of a school and Leo, who visited the schools with me, raised £1,500 last summer by cycling from England to Rome, a distance of 1,448 miles, in just 24 days.”