ZAMASAMA PRESENTS
A Guide for Teachers and Parents
Written and Illustrated
by
Tyas Widjati
Children will:
- Understand how industrial waste and human negligence pollute water sources.
- Learn about the ripple effect of pollution on fish, plants, and communities.
- Be introduced to the concept of environmental activism and standing up for nature.
- Recognize that anyone, regardless of age, can spark change.
- Reflect on their own water usage and how to protect this vital resource.
Discussion Questions
A. Warm-Up Discussion (Before Reading):
- What are some ways we use water every day?
- Have you ever seen a polluted river or lake?
- What did it look or smell like?
- Where do you think the trash in water comes from?
B. Questions During Reading:
- What made Prigi upset about the river?
- What kind of waste was being dumped in the Brantas River?
- How did Prigi respond to the pollution?
- What challenges did he face?
C. Questions After Reading:
- Why do you think some people ignored the pollution problem?
- What do you admire most about Prigi’s actions?
- How can communities come together to clean water bodies?
- What would you do if your local river was polluted?
D. Suggested Activities:
- Water Watchers Journal: Students observe and document how water is used (and wasted) in their homes for a week.
- Pollution Simulation: Use a bowl of water with bits of trash to represent a polluted river. Students brainstorm cleanup solutions.
- Poster Campaign: Create posters urging people not to dump garbage into rivers.
- Interview Project: Interview local environmentalists or community workers.
- Class Resolution: Write and sign a ‘River Warrior Pledge’ to protect water.
- SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
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- SDG 13: Climate Action
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- SDG 15: Life on Land
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- SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
SDG Explanation:
- SDG 6: The story centers around the urgent need for clean water sources and pollution prevention.
- SDG 13: Highlights environmental degradation caused by human activity and calls for urgent action.
- SDG 15: Connects water health to broader ecosystem survival.
- SDG 12: Teaches responsible waste disposal and industrial accountability.
- Bye-Bye Plastic Bags – Students lead an anti-plastic movement in Bali
- Jadav and the Tree Place – One man transforms a wasteland into a forest
- The Electronic Waste Hero – A boy recycles tech trash to save his town
- A Very Important Tree – A girl fights to save a nesting tree near her home
- Children become aware of the causes and effects of water pollution.
- They are inspired to think of themselves as environmental advocates.
- Students feel empowered to take small but meaningful steps toward change.
- Learners understand that environmental activism can start young.
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.