Burma: Cyclone Nargis three years on - in pictures

Sixteen-year-old Win Naing Thein's family lost their home during the 2005 tsunami and again when the cyclone struck. He is now preparing for a university entrance exam, which he says is "the most important exam" of his life and that of his family
Photograph: Plan International

Yar Zar Soe, 13, is known for his broad smile at his school in the Labutta township. He lost six siblings and his father in the aftermath of the cyclone. He wants to be a doctor when he grows up Photograph: Warisara Sornpet/Plan International

School headteacher Daw Tin Tin Myu shows an old school group photograph of 35 pupils and indicates 28 of them who died during the cyclone. Her husband also died Photograph: Warisara Sornpet/Plan International

Buddhism is practised by 89% of Burma's population. The children are taught meditation techniques, which are believed to have psychological and emotional benefits. Many women and children – and men too – put sandalwood powder on their faces. It's said to cool the skin and act as a sunscreen Photograph: Warisara Sornpet/Plan International

Plan has built and renovated 51 schools for local authorities, 14 of which are disaster resilient and can act as emergency shelters Photograph: Warisara Sornpet/Plan International

Wah Wah, five, lives with her grandmother. She lost both parents and a younger sister to Nargis. When the cyclone hit, her parents were working in the field with nowhere to hide Photograph: Warisara Sornpet/Plan International

These boys are among the children Plan has worked with in the Delta region, helping to improve their disaster preparedness through training and education Photograph: Warisara Sornpet/Plan International

Sisters Zin Mar Oo, 13, and Zin Mar Htet, 10, lost both parents, their younger brother and grandmother to Nargis. The sisters ran to a temple when the cyclone hit but the rest of their family were working in a field Photograph: Warisara Sornpet/Plan International

Children scramble under strong wooden tables while their teacher pretends that an earthquake is taking place. "Now we know exactly what to do in an earthquake," says one of the boys Photograph: Warisara Sornpet/Plan International

Soe Lwin Oo, 12, lost both parents and a sister. He is living with his grandmother, whom he loves, but he says he still cries whenever he hears other children call out to their mothers Photograph: Warisara Sornpet/Plan International

In a village as poor as Labutta, mutual support among the community helps people to survive. Many have offered to assist in building new schools even though their own children have died and will not go to them Photograph: Warisara Sornpet/Plan International

Women and young girls adorn themselves with nail varnish, flowers, and other accessories to keep their spirits up Photograph: Warisara Sornpet/Plan International

A boy sits in his old school building, which was quickly re-built after it collapsed in the cyclone. A new school is now being built Photograph: Warisara Sornpet/Plan International

Plan has worked with its partners to build or upgrade 43 emergency early childcare centres and play areas for small children. They offer a hygienic and safe environment in the aftermath of Nargis Photograph: Warisara Sornpet/Plan International

The people of Labutta have been working hard to get their lives back to normal. Here, boys are enjoying messing about in the water for a while Photograph: Warisara Sornpet/Plan International