ZAMASAMA PRESENTS
A Guide for Teachers and Parents
Written and Illustrated
by
Lavanya Karthik
By the end of this story and lesson, children will:
- Understand that people earn a living in many different ways around the world.
- Learn about the life of a fisherman—days at sea, weather risks, physical demands, and uncertainty.
- Appreciate the emotional strength and routines of families who rely on the sea.
- Reflect on the bond between father and son, and the gestures that express love in everyday life.
- Build empathy for workers in high-risk jobs and their families who wait and hope.
Discussion Questions
Before Reading:
- What jobs do people do in your neighborhood or family?
- Have you ever seen someone fishing? What do you know about fishing?
During Reading:
- How do you think the father feels as he returns from sea?
- Why do you think he brings his son a small gift each time?
After Reading:
- What does this story tell us about the life of a fisherman?
- How is the father’s job different from others? What makes it hard?
- Why is the bond between father and son special?
Activities:
- Draw and Share: Draw a scene of a fisherman at sea or the gift the boy receives.
- Livelihood Chart: Make a class chart of different jobs people do and where (land, sea, city, village).
- Letter to the Sea: Write a thank-you note from the son to the sea for keeping his father safe.
- SDG 1: No Poverty
- SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
SDG Explanation:
- SDG 1: Many fishing communities face poverty and economic vulnerability.
- SDG 8: Fishing is labor-intensive and often precarious—yet essential to many economies.
- The Tale of the Water Hyacinth: River residents along the Mekong delta using the leaves and stems of the water hyacinth plant to make items for sale..
- Ismat’s Eid: Ismat is a shoemaker. Do you know of any shoemakers or repairs in your neighborhood?
- Bounthy’s Singing Birds: Bounthy’s father captures birds from the wild for sale.
- Children will gain a deeper understanding of working lives beyond their own experiences.
- They will develop empathy for workers in coastal and natural resource-based sectors.
- The story will foster appreciation for family bonds, sacrifice, and emotional resilience.
Zamasama is a nonprofit platform that brings together stories from around the world to help children discover that beneath our differences—of culture, language, or belief—we share the same hopes, joys, and dreams.
Today’s children are tomorrow’s citizens, and the responsibility of building a more peaceful, tolerant, and empathetic world lies with them.
That’s why it’s vital to instill these values early—through stories that help them rise above the biases they inherit, and see diversity as a strength that unites us all.