9 years and below
A fruit I like to eat
I like to eat fruits. Fruits contain vitamins. All fruits are tasty. There are many fruits in Sri Lanka such as mangoes, bananas, watermelons, oranges, star-fruits. There are fruits that only grown in Sri Lanka such as; uguressa, lovi, jack-fruit, amberella and veralu.
The fruit I like to eat most is rambutan. It looks like a small red hedgehog. But its spines are not sharp. When we open it, inside there is a small white ball. It looks like an egg. Inside the white ball there is a seed. The seed is brown colour. We can eat the white ball. It is soft and sweet. Whenever there is a season for rambutan, I always ask my parents to buy me some. Last year I planted several rambutan seeds near my house. Now there are a few rambutan plans. I am waiting for when a big rambutan tree will grow. Then I can eat the fruit and share it with my family and friends.
Nethmi Batuwita (8 years)
St. Bridget’s Convent, Colombo 7
10 – 12 years
End of term activities in school
Yeah! Finally another year is over. I had been waiting for this day since a long time as the best activities in school were held after the final exams.
All the children were waiting impatiently until this day arrived. It was the day we went on the year-end field trip. We planned to go to the Seethawaka Botanical Garden. It was the best trip ever, as there was a natural swimming pool and a normal swimming pool. The best thing was that the teachers allowed us to bathe in the pools with our uniforms!
Second and the most exciting activity was that we had a business fair. We sold various kinds of goods to the younger children in our school at a price in which we got a profit. It was great fun as we dressed in fancy clothes and worked with cash and bills.
We also had our annual graduation ceremony where we got our certificates and prizes. It was also a great success as everyone got at least one prize. During school hours we were busy making Christmas cards for our friends and thank-you cards for our beloved teachers. We also gave them paper flowers to thank them for all their hard work.
The year ended in a fantastic manner and now it’s time to prepare ourselves for another challenging year. It was a great class where I learnt many things and made many new friends. I hope the New Year will be the same. So, I wish you a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year 2019!
Sinethya Rajapakshe (12 years)
Lyceum Int. School, Panadura
13 – 15 years
What you understand by Human Rights
We as humans have many rights, such as the right to life, right to education, right to freedom of opinion, right to freedom for health care, right to worship, right for employment to earn wages, right for communication, right for gender equality, right for equitable distribution of wealth, to live without factors that threaten freedom and peace in general; such as apartheid, injustice, inequality and poverty.
Hence, the United Nations General Assembly adopted its Human Rights Declaration on December 10, 1948. That is why December 10th is also The International Human Rights Day. The Universal Declaration on Human Rights says that, “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.”
When we think of unforgettable famous people who fought as freedom fighters for human rights, according to history; they can be listed as follows; Abraham Lincoln pushed for the freedom of all slaves throughout the United States of America. Mahatma Gandhi won freedom and social reforms for India through a long non-violence campaign. Nelson Mandela was a civil rights leader in South Africa. Martin Luther quoted, “An unjust law is no law at all” and Martin Luther King Jr., who fought and even sacrificed his life for the sake of human rights.
Among bold females with golden hearts, steel nerves and iron will are the unforgettable Aung San Suu Kyi the famous Burmese winner of the Nobel Peace Prize and the recent Nobel Peace Prize Winner, young Pakistani girl Malala Yousafzai.
Last but not least, when I saw the cartoon under ‘Daily Punch’ on Human Rights; I am sure Mother Lanka will certainly weep over the political crisis due to justice delayed and denied. I would like to remind our people who are crazy for power that ‘United we stand, divided we fall’.
Neyali Abeyratna (14 years)
De Mazenod College, Kandana
