KATHMANDU, Aug 8: Jwala Dhakal is 11 years old and believes that children are capable of doing anything an adult can. She is a nature lover and is concerned about plants and animals, and, even more importantly, about the role of human beings in the saving and destruction of the environment.
Professing a love for nature in everything she does, the class five student of St Mary’s School has even published a book titled ‘Nature’ where she has compiled her essays, poems, stories and illustrated the book with her own art.
Jwala is a confident girl who believes in being competitive and putting in her best efforts. A class topper and class captain, she enjoys leading her friends but dislikes being called ‘Miss Lecturer’ when she tries talking to them about her favorite subject, the environment.
Can you tell us something about your writings?
I started it when I was in class one. I wrote about Holi and it was published in a national daily. Since then, I’ve had many articles published in various newspapers. Though I write in both English and Nepali, I prefer writing in Nepali. I write about nature, animals and environment. I only write during my holidays or during the weekend if I have time.
I don’t like watching TV, and if I sit down to watch it, it’s always Animal Planet. I’m currently in the process of translating the book ‘Bhoot Pretko Katha’ by Modnath Prashrit in English. He was happy that I wanted to translate his book. My intention is to make it available to people from other countries so that they can learn about the superstitions that exist in our country and help to stop the unfair treatment of many who are branded as witches.
Why the fascination for nature and animals?
I think it’s our duty to keep our environment healthy. I may be young but I think children can also do things adults can. This is also what I want to convey to the children out of the Valley. I believe they are very much talented but they lack platforms to express themselves and share their talents with others. Whether it’s articles, poems or my art, the subject is always the same. In class one, I participated in an art exhibition at Babar Mahal and I had four drawings depicting aliens attacking the Earth. Last year, I was volunteering in the radio program Kopila Bal Karyakram at Nepal FM and there too I wrote about the environment.
What do you see yourself doing in the future?
I would like to be the youngest person to climb Mt Everest. I hope I get the opportunity to try that soon. In the future, I’ll continue writing about environment and animals because that’s one way through which I can help spread the awareness. I also want to be a successful biologist.
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