Children

A nation of trees

Dear Children,

Are you environment conscious? I am sure that most of you like to grow plants in your home garden.

Afterall, plants and trees help sustain human life. They not only provide food for us, but also help clean our air. Planting a tree and looking after it protects our planet from the sun’s ultraviolet rays.

Sri Lanka too introduced a programme last year to grow more trees.

This innovative progamme called ‘Deyata Sevana’ marked its first anniversary on November 15.

Last year it is estimated that over 2.9 million trees were planted.

This is a very creative idea, and this year, a Green Belt is to be created to mark National Tree Planting programmes along the Japan-Friendship Road near the Diyawanna Oya in Kotte.

So children, it’s an open invitation to Sri Lankans, one and all, to participate in this national programme by planting a tree in your home gardens.

This will create a nation covered with trees.

We will become a ‘green’ and eco-friendly country.

Growing more trees would make it easier for the country to face the climate change challenge. So why not show your love for a cleaner environment and love for trees by planting a tree in your own garden, if possible. Every tree counts.

Bye for now. Let’s go Green.

-Aunt Anji

Wildlife in Sri Lanka

Our Motherland is lucky because Sri Lanka is a tropical country. Therefore, it has adequate rain and sunshine. All tropical countries have large areas with different kinds of animals, birds and reptiles.Elephants, leopards, bears, deer and monkeys are some of the common animals that live in jungles. Most of them can be seen in herds or in our national parks at the Yala and Wilpattu game parks.

We find a large number of elephants in the forests of Sri Lanka. Elephants in the Dehiwela zoo and in the Yala and Wilpattu parks are a great tourist attraction. Elephants in Sri Lanka have been used for various purposes since ancient times. The elephant population is dwindling in Sri Lanka and soon they might get extinct.

The leopard is a dangerous animal. It prowls about in villages where there are cattle or poultry. Brown and black monkeys roam about freely and it is a common sight.

The golden oriole, mynah, kingfisher and woodpecker are some of the birds which are seen in our gardens. The sanctuary at Kumana is well-known for its abundance of bird life. It is also known as the bird’s paradise. Visitors go there fascinated by the beautiful plumage they see there. There are a lot of sanctuaries in Sri Lanka that attract tourists.

Our wildlife is regarded as a national treasure, which attracts many tourists and brings a large income to our country. The Wildlife Conservation Department has to protect these animals and maintain the sanctuaries in Sri Lanka.

M N Rayyan Rahuman
Grade 10
Sailan International School
Negombo

My pet

My pet’s name is kitty
It is very beautiful
It is white in colour
It likes to drink milk
Kitty likes to play with me
It can run very fast
I love my kitty very much

M R M Shazny
Welamboda
Ambagastenna

Deer drinking water	Flowers	Forest
Yasiru Deshitha 3A Hendiyagala Sri Rathanapala MV, Sandalankawa	Sadaru Alahakoon ‘Nipuni’ Pre-school Nilpanagoda - Minuwangoda	Indusara Bopitiya 6I Isipathana College, Colombo 5

Our garden	Our house	Parrot
Nethmi Kaviska Palipana 1A Vihara Maha Devi Girls College, Kandy	M. A. Kavindu Dilshan 4A M/N Nalanda College	Meheli Grade 3, Kingston College International Wellawatte

Solar system	Ball	Batman and Ben 10	Telephone
Riveen M Perera Pre grade 1B Sujatha Pre-school, Colombo	S Sivaparan Grade 2 Kingston College International, Wellawatte	Dave Surendran Year 1S6 St Joseph’s College, Colombo 10	S Vithurshana Grade 5 Kingston College International Wellawatte

Kingdom College International (Mutwal branch) held its annual concert at Navalar Mani Mandapam, Modera presided over by the chairman of the College Dr. T. Kumaravel. Here little ones performing at the event.

The Sisu Udana Pola was held by Minuwangoda People’s Bank at Udugampola Goigama Nanarama Vidyalaya. Here a student making a sale to Minuwangoda People’s Bank Manager Ruwan Ghanarathna. Picture by Ivon Nissanka, Diulapitiya group correspondent

Hali-Ela Samurdhi Manageress W. M. Nandarathne presenting an award to a member of a winning team at a dancing competition among Samurdhi children’s clubs of Niliathugoda held at Hali Ela recently. At right one of the teams presenting a dance item. Picture by Bandarawela group corr.