Margaux, a long-term volunteer (LTV) working in Tamil Nadu writes to us about her experience during World Environment Day. 

      “I am Ms. Margaux from France, volunteering in the Model Village Project (MVP).  On 5th June, the day began as “World Environment Day“.  We (I and the FSL-India Chennai team) planned a puppetry session for the primary school children of the age group between 8 10 years in Panchayat Union Primary School, Thenneri, Kancheepuram District.

     We focused on the hazards of plastic polluting our environment and insisting the importance of throwing out our waste in a garbage bin. We made our puppets with old socks, papers, wool and wooden sticks.

      The story was about the Journey of a Plastic Bag which was carried away by the wind. During its travel it meets a snake, a turtle and a young girl. All these characters share their sadness with the plastic bag and tell him how the environment gets destroyed, causes of health problems due to pollution, water pollution etc. Then they all worry how their next generation is going to survive in the polluted environment peacefully and healthily. At the end, the plastic bag understands the importance of segregating waste and recycling. It meets the village chief, headmaster of the school to spread this message to the villagers and school children.

      It was really a great experience to hide behind the screen and express the dialogues through shaking the puppets on the screen. As I could not speak the local language Tamil very fluently, one of the FSL-India Team members gave me the voice behind the screen. I thoroughly enjoyed the session and can visualize the attention as well as the enjoyment of the children being behind the screen.”