Ansura in India learns about the environment in children's parliament
Listening 13-year-old Ansura lives in India. She goes to school and her favorite subject is languages. After school, Ansura goes to after-school programs. The after-school program includes the Children's Parliament, where children learn about things like the environment. After school, Ansura helps her family clean their home.
"School is both important and fun"
Ansura is 13 years old and lives in Bhalaswa, India. She lives with her mom, dad, older sister and younger sister. Ansura likes going to school. She thinks that school is both important and fun. Ansura's favorite subject at school is languages. In India, where Ansura and her family live, they speak Hindi.
Ansura, 13 years old from Bhalaswa, India.
Ansura, 13 years old from Bhalaswa, India.
After school, it's time for free time
Every day after school, Ansura goes to after-school care. There she can play with her friends and get help with her homework.
At the after-school program there is something called a children's parliament. It gives Ansura and her friends the chance to discuss and decide things together. In the children's parliament, each child is responsible for one issue. This could be about the environment, health or education. The children discuss different problems that exist in Bhalaswa and think about how they can solve them.
In the Children's Parliament they talk about the environment
Ansura says that the area around the school and where she lives is dirty. Both the soil and the air are polluted. In the Children's Parliament, Ansura has learned that plants and animals die when the environment is not clean. For example, some of the animals in the area eat garbage lying in the streets, which makes them very sick.
Bhalaswa, where Ansura lives, is located below a large garbage dump. There is a lot of rubbish on the roads in the area. Through the Children's Parliament, Ansura has learned that it is important to throw garbage in the bin to keep the area and the environment clean.
- There are so many people throwing garbage on the street. They should recycle and throw the garbage in the bin instead. Children can make a difference if they tell adults that it is important to keep the environment clean, Ansura believes.
The children in the children's parliament where Ansura is present.
The children in the children's parliament where Ansura is present.
After school
After Ansura has finished her homework at the after-school program and played with her friends, she packs up her things. Ansura walks home from the after-school program with her older sister Mansura, who is 15 years old. After school, the sisters go home and help the family clean up. Ansura's family has chickens and every day the chicken coop has to be cleaned.
- "It's not just people who need to have clean surroundings," says Ansura.
After cleaning, the sisters help to wash the family's clothes. If there is time, the sisters play tag or kho-kho with the other children in the neighborhood.
- There is not much time for play. We go to school, do our homework, help at home, have dinner and then it's time to sleep," she says.
Ansura with her mother.
Ansura with her mother.
Ansura
Age: 13 years
Lives: In Bhalaswa, New Delhi, India.
Family: Mom, dad, older sister and younger sister.
Favorite food: "Roti" which is a thin bread and fried potatoes.
Favorite fruit: Pomegranate.
Favorite sport: Kho-kho.
This text was originally published on January 1, 2019.
Published: 04 May 2023
