Let’s save water!

Winner:

We humans are destroying one of Mother Nature’s greatest gifts to us – water.

Water is our lifeblood and destroying it means that nothing can live on Mother Earth. Water comes in bodies. Some are oceans, seas, waterfalls, lakes and rivers.

The water some people drink is obtained from wells or rivers. However, if you are living close to a dam and you have access to pipe borne water, the water that you drink will be purified with chemicals.

We often use water called hard water at home but several manufacturing companies use another type of water called soft water.

Water has many uses. It is used for drinking, cleaning, cooking and for the production of electricity.

Hydroelectricity or hydro power has greatly improved over the the years since it was first introduced. The first large hydroelectric scheme was completed in 1892 at Niagara, USA. Since then, many large hydroelectricity schemes have been started all over the world. There are many hydro power projects even in Sri Lanka.

Harbours are also sheltered stretches of water that provide a safe place for ships to berth. Natural harbours are the finest harbours. For example, the Sydney Harbour in Australia and the harbour at Trincomalee are natural harbours.

Today most of the water bodies are being polluted. Due to pollution many creatures that live in water are becoming extinct. Despite the threat such careless actions pose for all living creatures we are doing nothing to prevent it.

We must stop the destruction of water bodies to save the numerous animals that live in them. Otherwise the water cycle will break down.

Almost everything we do results in some sort of pollution to Mother Nature. If this goes on at the rate it is happening today, we will not only lose the many resources of water, but also every living thing that depends on water for their existence, including ourselves.

Poisoning water resources with chemicals and throwing garbage into waterways are two major forms of pollution. So, we must stop such careless actions to save our precious and priceless lifeblood – water!

Shivangi Sritharan,
St. Jude’s College,
Negombo.

Reading, a great hobby

Winner:

Reading is a good habit and an interesting hobby. I read story books and newspapers. My mother buys me a lot of story books. They are very interesting. My father buys me the newspapers. They are very useful. Newspapers give a lot of information – good news and even the bad news from all over the country and world.

We can enjoy reading story books and enrich our general knowledge by reading newspapers. Some of the magazines have beautiful pictures. I like to read story books on Mr. Mock and Heidi. I also like the story of the two brothers, Rover and Buddy. I go into another world when I read an interesting story book.

Books are our greatest friends. We can read during our leisure. Books are a great way to relax. When we spend time with books, we spend that time happily. We can forget our troubles and sorrows by reading.

There are many valuable books in a library .So as books are expensive, a library is the best place for someone who is interested in reading to go to. “Reading maketh a full man” is a popular saying. We can improve our knowledge in many ways by cultivating the habit of reading.

Fatima Ilma
Grade 3,
O.K.I. International School, Wattala.

Maintaining good health

Winner:

Our day-to-day activities can be disturbed if we fall ill. Whether the illness is serious or not, it will affect our daily routine, income, time and even our happiness.

When our daily routine gets affected we feel uncomfortable and miserable. Some diseases such as dengue, diarrhoea or tetanus can lead to dreadful situations. And, if not treated immediately, they may even cause death.

When we fall ill with any kind of disease, we usually rush to a hospital or go to a medical practitioner to obtain treatment. If however, we can prevent diseases, we could save both our valuable time and money. There is an old saying that says, “Prevention is better than cure.” So, rather than going to doctors it is better to lead a healthy life and prevent falling ill. If somebody practises good health habits and maintains personal hygiene, the possibility of germ attacks can be minimised.

Taking a balanced diet and a nutritious one comprising fresh food at the proper time, drinking plenty of boiled and filtered water, keeping ourselves clean by bathing regularly, trimming our nails, wearing clean clothes and brushing our teeth helps maintain personal hygiene. These are only some helpful hints to lead a healthy life. Apart from personal hygiene, there are a few other factors too that we have to take into consideration when trying to keep diseases at bay.

We have to get rid of mosquito breeding places, especially containers that collect water as some species of mosquito cause deadly disease such as dengue, malaria and filariasis. You may have seen some places that are dense with mosquito larvae. Remember that the dengue mosquito lays its eggs in clean water.

Flies are another kind of vectors which spread diseases. Flies and mosquitoes are the major vectors of infectious diseases. Keeping food without any covering allows flies and other insects to settle on it and cause various diseases. Places where garbage is collected are good breeding places for flies. So, we have to keep our environment clean and healthy.

We must also get vaccinated against dangerous diseases. This is called immunization. Diseases such as polio, hepatitis, rubella, measles, tetanus and diphtheria can be easily prevented through immunization. When there is an immunization programme organised by the Government we should get ourselves vaccinated to prevent contracting diseases.

Many disease are very dangerous and thousands have died in the past. But today most of these diseases are under control or eradicated through immunization.

So, let’s eat nutritious food, maintain personal hygiene and keep our environment clean to stay free from diseases and lead a healthy life . We can also save our valuable time and money by doing so.

U.G. Nimesha Ruwanara Wasundara,
Grade 9,
Sussex College,
Nuwara Eliya.

Let's stop the spread of dengue

Winner:

Today dengue has become a great problem to Sri Lanka. It has been spreading all over the country during the past two to three years. Although it is only a fever, it is very dangerous. If neglected it has the power to kill people.

Reports claim that hundreds of people in various parts of the country have died as a result of dengue during the past few years. Therefore, we cannot ignore the threat this disease poses to human life.

How does this dreaded virus – dengue spread? It is a viral disease which is spread by a mosquito. So, if we control the breeding of this particular mosquito, we will be able to stop the spread of dengue. Even though the Government is primarily responsible for implementing measures to control it, we can also assist in controlling it by fulfilling our duties as responsible citizens.

How can we control the spread of dengue? The dengue mosquito breeds in clean water. So, we should destroy all the areas where water can collect such as coconut shells, tyres, empty cans, polythene bags and other empty or discarded containers. Waste containers must be destroyed properly so that rain water cannot collect in them. We must always keep our environment clean by sweeping the garden and cleaning shrubs, drains and the gutters. We must dispose of garbage in a proper manner in the right places. Many just throw their garbage all over the place.

We should also make others aware of the danger dengue poses and educate them on ways of preventing the disease from spreading. Although dengue is sometimes fatal, it can be avoided by taking good care of our surroundings. It is our duty to keep the environment clean and prevent the spread of not only dengue but also other diseases.

D.Amanda Anuradha,
Grade 9,
President's College, Minuwangoda.

Parents – a precious gift in our lives

Winner:

A precious gift means a very valuable gift. The most precious gift in our lives is our parents. We must always thank them because we were gifted to this world by our precious parents. They care for us and do everything to introduce us to society as good citizens. They fulfil our needs and expectations without expecting anything in return for their help and the many sacrifices they make.

We spend our lives in their shelter with love and care. They love and care for us more than anyone else in the world.

Some adults don't care much about their parents today. It is wrong. Even if our parents have grown old we must take care of them and heed their advice because they have more experience than us. When we are facing problems; they give us solutions.

Their advice is invaluable and could even help change our lives .

Some children when they become adults forget the many valuable things that their parents did for them when they were helpless little children . They put their parents in Elders’ homes and refuse to take up responsibility for them. Their excuse is that they are busy and have no time to look after their parents. It is wrong to abandon parents when they are old and feeble because that is the time they need their children the most.

Parents like to receive love from their children and grandchildren. No amount of luxury and comfort in an elders’ home can measure up to the love and care of their children.

Ilma Ishak,
Grade 9A,
Lexicon International School,
Kandy.

What we can learn from grandparents

My father's parents and my mother's parents are my grandparents. We are fortunate to have them living with us or living close to our residence. Grandparents are very much older than our parents and they have more knowledge and experience in life.

Our grandparents are important to us in many ways. In the first place they are senior citizens who have gathered years of knowledge and experience in life. Some of them have worked in Government and private institutions. They have moved with so many people gathering experience. With their experience and knowledge, they are in a better position to advise their children and also their grandchildren.

Those who have grandparents have another advantage. That is in times of difficulties and any emotional problems,grandchildren can always consult them and ask for their guidance and support.

The bond between grandparents and grandchildren is very strong. In fact, grandchildren are closer to their grandparents than to their parents. Grandchildren have a natural tendency to be with their grandparents for two reasons. One reason is that grandparents' love is unconditional. They do not impose many rules and regulations like parents. The other is that grandparents do not expect anything in return from their grandchildren.

Most grandparents have spent their life productively gathering wealth and experience. As a result they are in a position to share their wealth and experience with their grandchildren.

Grandparents are the most important people in our life. Because of the strong bond they have with us, their grandchildren, they can help improve our standard of life in many ways. They know the history of the world, so, they can teach us many lessons. It is our responsibility to look after them. When they are too old to manage their lives, we must step in to help them and shower them with love.

G.H. Sithira Chandula Ariyadasa,
Grade 9,
S. Thomas’ College,
Mt. Lavinia.