ZAMASAMA PRESENTS
A Guide for Teachers and Parents
Written and Illustrated
by
Benny Rhamdani
Children will:
- Understand the principles of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (3Rs).
- Learn how youth-led action can bring real change.
- Explore the impact of plastic pollution on land and water.
- Recognize how teamwork and civic action can improve their own surroundings.
Discussion Questions
Warm-up Questions:
- What kinds of trash do you see around your school or home?
- Why do you think trash is a problem?
Questions During Reading:
- What did Luftan see in his village that others ignored?
- How did he get others involved?
- What actions did they take together?
Questions After Reading:
- What was your favorite part of Luftan’s plan?
- What would you do if your town had trash monsters?
- Can one child really make a difference?
Activities:
- Trash Audit: Have students sort collected trash into recyclable, compostable, and landfill categories.
- Trash Monster Art: Create trash monsters from actual clean waste materials for display in the school art section.
- Neighborhood Heroes: Start a classroom campaign to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle with posters, talks, and action days.
- SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production
- SDG 13 – Climate Action
- SDG 14 – Life Below Water
SDG Explanation:
- SDG 12: The story models how reducing waste and reusing items can build a sustainable community.
- SDG 13: Community-led action on waste contributes to climate solutions.
- SDG 14: By cleaning up the river, the children protect aquatic ecosystems from plastic pollution.
Students will be inspired to take ownership of their environment, understand the urgency of pollution, and take small but meaningful action in their communities.
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.