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Miscellanea: Students join ‘save turtle project’
Over 200 students from Ibrahim Ali Bhai Secondary School, Korangi Town, Boys Secondary School, Azimpura Shah Faisal Town, boys Secondary School, Future Colony Landhi, Luqman Shahid Girls Secondary School, Landhi Town and Maj. Ziauddin Elementary Boys/Girls Elementary School actively cleaned up the Sandspit beach to make it safe for turtles to live, lay and return healthy back to the sea to swim, eat and live happily with the other turtles.
Cleaning beaches, specially Sandspit beach, and removing plastic bags is vital for the survival of green turtles. The bag when blown into the sea resembles the jelly fish that turtles love to eat, the plastic bag is indigestible and stops the passage of other food from travelling through the intestines. The turtle, there after, cannot get energy from the digestive system nor does it feel hungry. It therefore dies.
If this practice recurs then many turtles will lose their lives. One turtle in her lifetime can reproduce 900 to 1,000 babies. If one hundred females die because of plastic bag impaction that will deprive the Arabian sea of 15,000 turtles, which may be the entire population of Pakistan’s sea coast.
Since cleaning the beach is tough physical work, a large workforce is needed every week because every weekend about five thousand people come, eat and throw away the shoppers around the beach. That is impossible for one organization to do. The voluntary contribution of students is the only alternative.
When hundreds of children come, they get tired and hungry. The worldwide fund therefore requests multi-nationals to arrange for refreshment, drinks, relaxation and transport.
It is an ongoing process and various schools participate. The contribution by young students of Karachi is, thus, the most important factor in keeping turtles safe. Even Mr Jonathan R. Stanley chief executive of a leading multi-national company picked up debris and plastic bags in particular.
Refreshments, beverages, magic show, a film on turtles and a gift of brand new colourful peak cap was presented to all students and their teachers. This kept them happy.
One of the events that the girls liked most was the presence of TV actress — Marina Khan — who is officially an ambassador of WWF turtle and environment projects.
Several large billboards all along the road to Sandspit have been posted for the awareness of visitors about the do’s and don’ts of keeping the beach clean and safe for the survival of turtles.
WWF is a big organization with 12 branches all over the world; in Pakistan alone there are 25 projects going on. WWF is building capacity of locals on the coast to help in the project because without community participation success in projects is impossible.
Visitors on the beach are also being made aware of what to do and how to cooperate in the preservation of environment and nature as a whole. Turtles, their eggs and the hatchlings are being projected by WWF in collaboration with Sindh wildlife department.
If your school is interested in visiting the beach to join the turtle project phone WWF 4544791-2 or Miss Nuzhat Siddiqui on 6679799, environment officer for schools.
Patriotism in children
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August 12: A schoolteacher is walking down the street in a mohalla of Nazimabad when she spots a boy playing ball. Drawing his attention, she suddenly asks him, “Would you like to make a poster for August 14?” He nods readily. Another child is roaming by and joins the two. The group swells to include four, then ten, then fifteen children, who all promise to make a poster each on “My Pledge to Pakistan”.August 14: In the afternoon, a group of children in a park in Nazimabad are putting up posters. When families stroll inside the park, a strange spectacle meets the eye. Fifteen hand-made posters are displayed on a wall. A crowd of people forms around them. Some people start inquiring how this small exhibition was organized.
Defying our traditional habits of procrastination, it did not matter to these children that the big day was so near. This was one event for which an ad-hoc committee and the requisite bigwig to serve for a chief guest were not required. An iron will and an eager interest in the cause proved sufficient.
Sarah Ansari, the energetic teacher who organized this activity, says “We were really surprised by the response we got while we were putting up the posters. Obviously, it was rare to do such a thing publicly. People were looking at us like we were aliens!”
And why was this exhibition organized? “We are always waiting for someone else to start something. We benefit from every single thing that this country has to offer but never consider acknowledging it,” says she. But there is more. “What really motivated me was what happened in our neighbourhood last year.
By August 14, the kids had made the street beautiful and patriotic songs were being played. Well, there came a point when everyone was standing bored and thinking, now what? Then suddenly, one boy started dancing. Other kids joined in and then, before you knew it, someone had started playing Indian songs which everyone was dancing to!
We could only watch this distorted independence celebration...I felt like pulling the microphone!” So this year saw a difference.
Previously she had started an Activity Club among the same boys. “Children nowadays have very little to do. You just have to look at them to see how empty they are. They need alternatives and challenges,” Sarah points out. In this age of Islam-bashing and Pakistan’s terrorist image, with parents complaining about bribery and delayed justice; the sight of littered and broken streets; the news of rising unemployment and illiteracy — what patriotism can a child playing ball on an ordinary street feel?
When asked to comment on this, Sarah Ansari says, “Parents have a huge responsibility to instill patriotism in their children. They need to change their own perceptions, and instead of persistent criticism, should develop a sense of belonging. Moreover, Allah has given all children natural talents which are not channeled in the right direction. This activity was a small step in showing them their possibilities.”
Sadly, many such efforts prove futile due to the lack of incentives and innovation that plagues our society. When the councilor of the area visited the park and looked at the works of art, he remarked, “I have 700 posters in my possession (that children have sent me) and I don’t know how to display them.”
For children, August 14 celebrations do create a “feel-good” atmosphere. Fifteen posters featuring “My Pledge to Pakistan” in a park portray the nascent spirit of patriotism in our country’s children that needs to be nurtured.
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