Sinharaja, a gift from Mother Nature

Winner:

The Sinharaja Forest Reserve is a national park and a biodiversity hotspot in Sri Lanka. It is located in the Sabaragamuwa province and Southern province.

The Department of Forest Conservation is its governing body. It is of international significance and has been designated a biosphere reserve and a world Heritage Site by UNESCO.

This hilly virgin rainforest which is a part of the Sri Lanka lowland rainforest’s eco-region, was saved from being subject to the commercial logging due to its inaccessibility. It was designated a World Biosphere Reserve in 1978 and a World Heritage Site in 1988.

The reserve is only 21 km from east to west, and a maximum of 7 km from north to south, but it is a treasure trove of endemic species, including trees, insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.

Accordingly, Sri Lanka is a country rich in biosphere. The Sinharaja Forest attracts many tourists to our country. It is a valuable heritage from Mother Nature. It is priceless!

This world renowned heritage site has been protected for us by our early ancestors. Now it is our duty, as the present generation, to protect this valuable gift for the future generations.

H.M. Kithmini Minoma,
Grade 9D,
Girls’ College, Dankotuwa.

Amazing nature

Winner:

Nature, our main life provider,
She helps us everyway,
She’s so beautiful,
She’s full of mirth when not harmed.

She glitters day and night,
And greets us with her sight,
Grass glittering with raindrops,
Birds singing in distant woods.

Rivers flowing through the woods,
Are smiling at the sun,
As they nourish all the plants,
Flowing softly like a dream.

W.G. Avindi Buthmini Premaratne,
Brilliant Stars International College,
Matara.

A caterpillar talks

Winner:

One day my mother laid an egg. I was in that egg. It was very small. A few days later it hatched and I came out of it.

Now, I am no longer an egg but a caterpillar. I want to eat leaves. I am very ugly and I have no friends to play with.So, I am very sad.

I am very small and green in colour. I cannot fly yet. I do not have two antennas and wings like my mother. Sometimes other creatures who see me go away because I am very ugly.

They say since I am very ugly, they do not want to be friendly with me.

Next week I will be a butterfly.Then I will be colourful and very beautiful. I will have wings, two antennas and six legs. I will have many friends and they will love me.

In the morning I will go from flower to flower and suck nectar. Other caterpillars will look at me and say, “Oh, you are very beautiful”. Then I will tell them, “You too can become a beautiful butterfly next week.”

S.M. Menuri Amasha,
Grade 3,
Mo/Bi Moodiyala Model School.

My great-grandfather

I am so lucky to have seen my great-grandpa, A.S. de Silva. I was his first grandchild, but after some years he got four more grandchildren. He died when he was 89 years old. He was very kind. I will always remember him.

Kaumadi Kathese,
Grade 2,
FFCA Alice M. Curtis Campus, Calagary, Canada.

A trip to Jaffna

Winner:

During the May holidays our family decided to go on a trip to Jaffna. There were thirty of us. We began our journey at half past seven, by bus. All of us were very excited as we were very eager to see Jaffna.

On the way we stopped in Thopawewa in Anuradhapura and had a bath in the cool water. We also had our lunch enjoying the beautiful scenery of Anuradhapura. Then after lunch we started our adventurous journey. Suddenly on the way one of my aunts fell ill. There were no hospitals nearby. The nearest hospital was more than five kilo metres away. All of us were worried as her situation was getting worse. At last we found a hospital in Kilinochchi.

The area was very deserted and we had to wait there for almost three hours until my aunt felt better. It was nearly nine pm when we left Kilinochchi.

Finally after an exhausting journey as the road was very bumpy, we reached Jaffna at around two o’clock in the morning. Later in the morning we visited the Jaffna beach and had a bath.

We also saw the Jaffna fort and enjoyed the beautiful surroundings such as the golden sundipped beaches.

Then in the evening we visited Denzil Kobekkaduwa’s monument. The next day we went to Nagadeepa and had a lovely boat ride. We also went to the library and market.

On the way we visited Mullaitivu and at night we returned to Colombo. We reached Colombo at half past nine in the morning.

Even though we were tired, we really enjoyed the trip.

It was then that I realised that Jaffna is a historical city with picturesque surroundings.

Shahani Razzak,
Grade 9L, Ilma International Girls’ School.

When my mother was ill...

Winner:

Recently my mother became very ill. During that time our domestic aid too had gone home.

My mother was in bed most of the time and my father was very sad. We took her to hospital. I was very frightened. The doctor told my father not to worry.

I had to cook meals for my family and also clean the house. I could not go to school during that period. I did lots of work at home. I missed my school work, so I was worried and sad.

However, my friends helped me to catch up on my studies. They sent me the notes of the lessons done at school. Little by little, my mother got better.

Then my mother stroked my head and gave her blessings to me for all what I did. I was very happy.

I felt a little proud as I helped my family in a difficult situation.

P.A.D. Liyani Navinya Jayathilaka,
Grade 7B,
Vishaka Vidyalaya.

My best friend

My best friend is Pavithra. She is nine years old. She is in Grade 4. She was born on June 18, 2002. Her hobby is reading story books. Her favourite food is cake. She is tall and thin. Her school is Minu/Godigamuwa Maha Vidyalaya. Her father is a driver. She has a sister and a brother.

W.A. Kavisha Hashani,
Grade 4A, Minu/Godigamuwa Maha Vidyalaya.