Poverty on Pitara Kids Network

The Golden Fish

Mon, 02 Oct 2000 17:31:18 +0000

There are many islands in the Bay of Bengal and not all of them are inhabited. But on one island, at one time, there was a small hut which belonged to an old man and his wife. They were very poor. The husband used to make nets and fish in the sea, for that was the only food they could get.

One day he went fishing as usual. He cast his net and waited. Suddenly there was a pull. He started to draw in the net, it seemed heavier than it had ever before. He just about managed to draw it up. But when he looked, he was surprised to find the net empty except for one small fish. However, it was no ordinary fish. It was golden in colour and even stranger, it pleaded with the old man in a human voice, “Please do not kill me, put me back into the sea and I will be of some service to you. I will do whatever you wish.” The old man thought for a minute and answered, “I do not need anything from you, go back and swim in the sea.” He threw the fish back into the sea and went back home.

Peru's Barefoot Librarians

Thu, 05 Jul 2001 19:45:20 +0000

Twelve year-old Leonardo Herrera had never seen a book in his life although he knew how to read. He and his friends used to carve letters and numbers on cactus leaves after seeing their teacher do the same on small blackboards.

He belongs to poor peasant family in Bambamarca in Peru. His family grows maize and potatoes in a place which is 12,000 feet above sea-level.

But Leonardo wanted to see what a book looks like. So he asked the new priest in his parish to give him one. But there was no electricity in his village. So Leonardo borrowed candles from the church and sat up all night reading it. By dawn, he was at the door of the priest asking for another book to read.

Richer or Poorer?

Sat, 10 Jan 1998 00:18:12 +0000

Second prize winner of Spin-A-Tale contest

Hello! My name is John! I used to be rich but I became poor. Here’s the story.

Richer or Poorer? [Illustration by Shinod A.P.]

Mom and dad said they wanted to go to Africa to donate rupees 4.5 crores (1 million dollars.) So, we went there. Almost all the taxis were gone. We caught one taxi and went to a very poor village to stay there for five days and to feel how it is to be poor. In one day, I met a boy named Jillyoin.