OSAKA -- The Asian Architecture Friendship, an Osaka-based group of volunteers, is helping to build a school in a mountain village in northern Nepal, a project official said.

The group, mainly composed of architects from construction firm Takenaka Corp., launched the project after learning of a school shortage in the village of Phillim during a trip to Tibet five years ago, AAF head Kenzo Akao said Tuesday.

Some 8 million yen will be used to build the first part of the school, which includes a science laboratory, a library and 11 classrooms to accommodate classes from elementary to high school.

Akao said some 5 million yen has been raised from contributions by the 61 members and friends. The first part of the school is expected to be finished by May.

In the second part, a separate cafeteria and dormitory for students and teachers will be constructed.

A formal ceremony on Oct. 19 marked the start of the construction by the villagers. Phillim is located 70 km north of Gorkha, which is 75 km west of Katmandu.

The group had dispatched research teams on nine occasions starting in 1999 at its own expense to lay the groundwork and study local construction materials and building methods to be incorporated in the project.

Designed to blend into the hilly terrain, the school will have a flat roof and is situated on a slope.

In the village of about 800 people, there is only an elementary school with two classrooms that lacks a complete roof. Classes are held outside when the weather is fine, and there are no chairs or desks inside.

"Though the project is our first, we've felt a sense of fulfillment that is different from our jobs. We'll be very glad if we make the villagers happy with this project," Akao said.